Cryptographic
by boxxfoxx
Summary: During WWII the Army and the Navy were swarmed by female volunteers who simply wanted to serve their country. She was one of those women; a WAVE intent to serve in any way she could. A chance meeting during training and an accident in Washington land her in the SSR and the Howling Commandos. Her journey will span decades and wars. (Steve RogersxOC)
1. Chapter 1

**New York City – Time Square – 2009**

Everything hurt. She tried to move her toes and fingers. It felt like they moved, but she couldn't be certain. Perhaps she was just badly bruised, but she could have sworn that she should be dead. She'd been hit by one of those energy weapons, and so far, everyone who had been hit was dead.

As her hearing returned the familiar sounds of people and cars began to fill her ears.

"Hey lady, are you ok," a voice somewhere about her said. This wasn't right. She had just been in the Alps. None of this made any sense.

She struggled to open her eyes and was struck by the bright sun and the blue sky overhead.

"I think I'm ok, but where am I," she asked starting to blink.

"Time Square," the voice said. Her eyes snapped open. That wasn't possible.

Almost as soon as she opened her eyes, she closed them again. There were moving pictures all around her. This couldn't be Time Square, it was too bright, too loud.

"Step aside sir, this lady is with us," a deeper gravely voice said.

"She is," the first voice questioned.

"Yes, it was a training exercise gone wrong, you understand," the second voice explained. Then there were steps. She assumed the first voice was leaving.

"Can you sit up," the deep voice asked. She did her best, struggling through the pain.

Once in a sitting position, she opened her eyes again.

"Can you tell me who you are, where you are," the voice, an older black man with an eye patch asked.

"The first person said I was in Time Square, but it's not possible," she said.

"And why's that," the man asked.

"Because I was in Times Square 2 years ago. It didn't look anything like this, and there is no possible explanation for what I'm seeing," she explained looking from screen to screen.

"Ma'am, what year is it," he asked. She fought to stand, and the man reached out to help her up.

"It's 1945," she answered.

The man shook his head.

"I hate to break it to you, but welcome to 2009."

She looked at the man just as she fainted, another man catching her on the way day.

**New York City – Grand Central Terminal -1942**

Another train pulled into Grand Central Station. Another train full of women coming to the city to fill the holes left by men going off to war. The station was full of all sorts of women looking for all sorts of jobs. This was the hustle and bustle that greeted Lucy Byrne as she disembarked. The station itself for larger than she could have imagined, and she couldn't help but stare in wonder at everything.

"Move along girl, don't you know there's a war on," yelled a woman behind her on the platform. Lucy shook her head returning to the matter at hand. Suitcase in hand, she moved forward towards the are that lead to the subway. The train to the Bronx was easy enough for her to find and the trip as comfortable as it could be.

Sitting in her seat, Lucy couldn't believe how far she'd come. It felt like a few hours ago that she was graduating from Randolph Macon University with her degree in teaching. Now, here she was on her way to Hunter College for WAVE Officer training. She was going to be in the Navy, just like her father before her. Granted he'd been drafted in WWI, but as his only child, Lucy felt like this was the best way to honor the man who had taught her to sail and the importance of service. It had been the primary reason she'd picked teaching in college. What better way to serve as a woman than to teach the next generation of Americans? However, once the Navy started accepting women, she simply couldn't stand by.

As the train slowed to her stop, Lucy stood bag in hand ready to exit the train.

Exiting the train station, Lucy sighed as rain poured down in front of her. According to the orders she'd been sent all-new servicewomen had to present themselves no later than 4PM at the College's Office of the Register to complete intake that day. If she wasn't there, she might as well go back home to Williamsburg and start looking for teaching work. Lucy checked her watch, 3:30 PM. Surely that would be enough time to walk to the College.

Lucy opened her pocketbook and pulled out her orders one last time to check the address. Bedford Boulevard? Wasn't the station she was in Bedford Boulevard? It must be close then. She set off at a brisk but sensible pace. Getting there on time was one issue, but getting there in one piece was another problem.

Sure enough, there was a small sign at the end of the block "WAVES Training Camp à". Lucy breathed a sigh of relief and fell in with another girl heading the same direction.

"Are you a WAVE too," Lucy asked as they walked.

"Sure am," the girl answers, "I'm Dot Williams." She didn't extend a hand to shake but smiled at Lucy as they walked.

"I just got in from Lynchburg," Dot explained.

"Lucy Bryne, Williamsburg," Lucy replied.

As the pair continued to walk, they could hear the soft murmur of many people talking softly. We must be getting close Lucy thought.

Sure enough, as they passed a small block of trees there was a line of women out the door of an impressive stone building.

"Guess, we'd better line up," Dot said as the pair moved to find the end of the line.

"Hey, dames," a man called out as he walked past, "don't you have some socks to knit or bandages to roll?

Lucy gripped her suitcase tighter. Her father had always told her to stick up for herself, but it was hard to do that when society said women did not fight.

"What a fat-head," Dot whispered as the line continued to move.

"Exactly, men these days can't stand that us women are just trying to do what we can for the war," Lucy said.

Once the pair were inside, they were rushed through a series of stations that completed their intake into the WAVES. There was a general physical, pelvic exam, uniform fitting, hair cut, etc.

Lucy was exhausted by the end of the gauntlet as the final Navy Officer handed her a room assignment.

"Muster is at 500, be in uniform in the hall by then," the man said turning his attention to the next

Lucy moved along looking at the slip of paper in her hand.

Building E Room 302

"Hey Lucy," Dot called out from across a grassy quad, "what room are you in?"

"Building E, RM 302!"

"Woo! We're in the same bunk. Our roommates better watch out for us Virginia girls," Dot said briskly walking over.

Lucy couldn't help but smile. If she and Dot survived this experience, they were going to be great friends.

_ First Chapter Complete- I promise that Steve and Bucky will be in the next installment. _


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**New York City – SHIELD Safe House 2009 **

_BEEP BEEP BEEP _

Lucy reached out to hit the alarm clock and rolled smoothly out of bed. She had been in New York for two weeks. Director Fury, the man who had found her in Time Square, had given her use of a small safe house until she could get on her feet. To be honest, she had no idea how to get on her feet in this world. He said there would be some culture shock. That didn't begin to cover the changes the last 70 years had brought to the world. She slid into the clothes Shield has provided for her. The blue jeans still felt strange on her, but the black undershirt and black blouse made her feel at least a little like herself.

Director Fury was sitting in the living area waiting for her.

"What can I do for you Director," Lucy asked as she walked toward the kitchen in search of breakfast, "Can I interest you in some eggs or coffee?"

"No, thank you, Ms. Bryne. I just wanted to see how you were settling in."

"You and I both know that you are here for a reason. The director of a shadow intelligence agency does not stoop to checking on poor unemployed time travelers," Lucy said.

Director Fury sighed heavily pulling a folder from his jacket. "You would be right out about. I have a proposition for you."

The coffee pot beeped quietly. Lucy picked up her cup and sipped the hot liquid that reminded her of Dot and all-nighters at the Naval Building.

"What kind of proposition. You know where I'm from that word meant one of two things," Lucy said taking the outstretched folder in one hand and continuing to drink her coffee.

Inside the folder appeared to be a resume, full background, and even a picture of her.

"A job?" she asked. "What job can a 93-year-old possibly do for you?"

Director Fury remained stoic, though Lucy swore there was the tug of a smile on his lips.

"You'd be an Analyst. Think of it as the logical continuation of your previous position. You'd be part of a secret division that reports directly to me tasked with sifting through everything looking for threats no one has ever dreamed of," Fury said leaning forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

"Sounds interesting, but I'm not exactly up to date of the current status of the world. Still working on the 1960s," Lucy said tossing the folder onto the coffee table.

"Hence your cover story and two weeks to come up to speed. Anything else you need to know can be learned on the job. The section head is aware of your limitations, but I've assured them you'll catch on quick." Director Fury hoisted himself from his seat on the sofa.

"Good luck Agent Byrne, I expect to see you in Orientation soon," he said heading for the door.

"I haven't said yes yet," Lucy called after him.

"You will," Fury called back as he left the apartment. The door clicked closed quietly behind him.

Lucy sat down in the sport Fury had just vacated, opened the folder on the table in front of her, and began to read.

**New York City – 1942**

"We're finally free," Dot exclaimed as they left the campus of Hunter College on their shore leave. It was only 24 hours, but Dot and Lucy planned to make the most of it. So far they'd planned to see if the American Museum of Natural History, shop at Bergdorf Goodman, have a nice dinner out and dance the night away. They didn't plan on sleeping.

First on the list of some shopping. Their naval pay wasn't much, and they hadn't arrived with much money, but you couldn't blame a girl for looking. Bergdorf's was spectacular. Neither Dot nor Lucy could believe their eyes. Everything was so beautiful and stylish. They looked like cows in burlap sacks compared to beautiful silk and linen dresses on display. Even, the underwear made them feel inferior.

Lucy found herself counting the bills and ration stamps in her handbag to see if a simple silk girdle would be in her price range. Sadly, it was more than she could scrap together. Maybe after a few more weeks of saving she'd be able to call that beautiful undergarment hers, and hopefully before the summer heat hit. Dot seemed enthralled by the make-up counters. Apparently there was a new red lipstick on the market that made the boys in uniform weak in the knees for any girl they saw wearing it.

"Come on Dot, you don't need lipstick to get a beau," Lucy said dragging her away from the counter.

"But Luc, that is the perfect red color," Dot whined as they walked toward the exit.

"Dot, I promise you, there is a man out there that will love you red lipstick or not," Lucy said as they walked down the street.

Next on the list of the Natural History Museum. Since they were already by central park the pair decided to walk through the park on their way to the museum. The park was beautiful. The flowers were just starting to bloom, and the lawns were filled with mothers and children enjoying the first truly warm day of the year. A small boy ran past the pair as they walked carefully on the gravel paths. Both thankful that they'd chosen their low block heels for the day's excursions.

"Slow down," Lucy called after the boy. The boy turned a looked at the pair and kept running.

The pair winced as up ahead they were the sound of feet losing their traction, a crush, and the cry of a young child injured. Dot and Lucy looked at each other and sighed. They hurried forward looking for the boy.

They followed the cries along the path to a section where the path curves along a small ridgeline. The boy sat at the bottom clutching his ankle. He also seemed to have a scrape on one knee. The pair walked carefully down the hill to the boy.

"Are you ok?" Dot asked the boy. He shook his head, tears welling in his eyes.

"Let me see your ankle," Lucy said. The boy removed his hands to show that his ankle was red and swollen. Lucy winced at the joint before glancing at the boy's knee.

"Dot, pass me your canteen Lucy said. Dot passed the canteen over to Lucy and Lucy soaked her handkerchief.

"This is going to hurt a little," Lucy said before swabbing the boy's knee with her damp handkerchief. The boy winced as she cleaned dirt from the scrape.

"What's your name kid? Is your mom around," Dot asked trying to take the boy's mind off of the sting.

"Billy. My mom is over by the baseball fields," the boy said.

"Ok Billy," Lucy said, "we're going to help you up and back to your mom. Your ankle is sprained, and you'll need to stay off it for a few days." Billy nodded quietly.

"On three Billy," Dot said. The two women each put an arm under Billy's arms.

"One… two….," Lucy said. On three the pair lifted the boy up to his good foot.

Lucy straightened up and pulled her clothes back into their proper place.

"Ok Billy, hop on my back. I'll carry you back to your mother," Lucy said.

Dot helped lift the boy onto Lucy's back and the pair before to walk slowly in the director Billy said the baseball fields were.

"Are you going to be ok carrying the kid?" Dot whispered to Lucy. She nodded in reply.

It was slow going, but they made progress. Soon enough they could hear a woman calling out for Billy. As they came into view of the baseball fields, they could see the women. She was older than the pair, maybe in her 30s in a light blue dress.

"Oh, thank god. Billy are you alright," the women shouted running as best she could over to the trio.

"He's fine ma'am, just a sprained ankle, "Lucy said. She put Billy down softly and Dot reached out to help the boy balance on his once good foot. "Make sure he stays off it for a few days."

"Thank you, girls. Thank you," the woman said as she moved to take Dot's place helping the boy. She glowered down at her son as the pair moved slowly back towards the fields.

Dot and Lucy glanced at each other. "Your hair is out of place," Lucy said. Dot started to laugh.

"Is that our good deed for the day? Can we be terrible people the rest of the day?" she asked.

"I think so," Lucy said to Dot as they joined their arms are started off again towards to the History Museum.

After what felt like an hour, the pair left the museum, their stomachs rumbling. Everything in the museum was amazing. Lucy had been most taken by the dinosaur bones, a relatively new acquisition, and the body of a blue whale that hung from the ceiling. It was so big she could have lived comfortably in the bones and never want for space.

Back on the street, the pair stopped on a corner to think.

"Where is this dance hall we're supposed to be going to," Lucy asked.

"Brooklyn, I think. Maeve said something about it being near the Navy Yard," Dot said.

Lucy nodded, "lets hit the subway then. Brooklyn is a long walk from here and I need to be in top shape for dancing."

The pair beelined it for the subway and caught the IRT Division south towards Brooklyn.

As they sat in the subway car, the pair talked quietly between themselves about the possibilities of the night ahead of them.

"Come on Steve, you've got to come with me tonight," Bucky pleaded with his friend.

"Another double date Bucky," asked Steve, "What did you tell this one?"

"That my friend is the most eligible man left in New York," Bucky said, "now let's get you cleaned up for your big date."

"Fine, but this is the last time Buck," Steve said following Bucky out of the alley and back toward their apartment.

Dot and Lucy sat across from each other at a small table in a tiny Italian Restaurant. They couldn't believe their luck in finding the place just blocks from the subway. They were the only people in the place, but it still felt cozy. It was obviously a family-run place. The mother and father worked in the kitchen while the adult children ran the front of the house. Dot and Lucy smiled every time they heard the two parents arguing with each other.

Lucy played with the spaghetti on her work and Dot pushed a piece of cannelloni around her plate. Neither wanted to finish their meal and leave the small warm space.

"Hey Lucy, do you ever think you'll ever have that," Dot asked quietly, her head moving almost imperceptibly toward the kitchen. The soft sounds of the parents conversing without another in a playful manner would just be heard over the noise of the street outside.

"I hope so," Lucy said, "You?"

"I'm keeping my options open. You never know when the right guy is going to walk through the door," Dot said.

"Is that what they call five men writing letters and a more dance offers than you can handle," Lucy chided.

"Says the girl who doesn't have a single sweetheart to write to" Dot shot back, " you must be the only one of us not writing a serviceman right now."

The pair stared at each other for a few minutes, before Dot's face cracked causing them to dissolve into giggles.

"Come on, let's get out of here. The dance hall must be open by now," Dot said. Lucy nodded glancing out the large window that showed a street slowly filling with couples. Most of the men were in military uniforms.

Lucy rolled her eyes pulling some bills and coins from her purse to pay for the meal. She just wanted to have a fun time with her friend, there was no need to drag a man, let alone a solider into it. "Let's go find you a nice solider," Dot teased as they exited the restaurant and joined the other people in the street.

The two followed the couples several blocks over to a large warehouse looking building. Lucy marveled at the façade. There was a large well-lit marque that announced some band Lucy had never heard of. A line formed from a small glass ticket booth in the middle of the entrance down the block. Most of the people in line were couples, but there were some groups of enlisted men and some other groups of women.

"Oh, I hope all the good dance partners aren't gone yet," Dot whispered to Lucy as they stood in line.

"Dot, I have a feeling that a good dance partner will always find you," Lucy whispered back.

The pair surveyed the line and started to feel a bit inadequate in their simple cotton dresses. It seemed like all the women in line were wearing the most beautiful dresses either girl as seen an actual person wear. There were vibrant red velvets, cool blue taffeta, and green satins. Lucy also swore there was a butter yellow silk dress in line ahead of them. All the girls seemed to have nylons and make-up on.

"Maybe I should have let you buy that lipstick Dot," Lucy whispered.

"No, you were right Luc. We don't need lipstick to get a man," Dot said.

The line moved quickly and soon Dot and Lucy found themselves at the front of the line.

"Admission for two, please," Dot asked the man sitting in the ticket booth

"Put them on my tab Frank," a male voice behind the girls said. Dot and Lucy turned around to see young many in an Army green dress uniform

"You don't have to do that, we're happy to pay," Lucy said.

"Nonsense, beautiful ladies should never pay to go dancing," The man said. He slid a five-dollar bill through the slit. Frank slid three tickets back to the man who passed two of the red slips to Dot and Lucy.

Dot smiled at the man, "Well then, thank you...um… what's your name."

"Don, Don Beacham," the man said, "and I do ask for the first dance in return."

Dot looked at Don and smiled. "Well, I'm certainly up for a dance."

Don grabbed Dot's hand and led her inside. Lucy shook her head after her friend, following her friend into the hall. Of course, Dot was going to just up and leave her for the first good looking man around.

Lucy stuck to the perimeter of the dance floor and took in her surroundings. The hall itself was three stories high with railings running along the second and third-floor edges leaving a large open area in the center. It seemed like the third story was just staging for the red, white, and blue bunting that hung about the dance floor. The band was set-up along the back wall and playing swing music. Another wall had what looked like a long bar, the glass bottles along the back sparkled from the dancefloor lights. There were groups of people clustered around small tables laughing and joking. The dance floor seemed filled with people, mostly men in uniform with civilian girls. Lucy was sure most of them were women seeing their men off before deployment in the next few days.

"Might as well get a drink," Lucy said to no one in particular. She picked her way carefully among the groups of people to the bar. The barman, who had to be younger than her, looked her up and down once.

"What I can get you," he asked.

"Can you make a Manhattan," Lucy asked. The man nodded and turned to his work. Lucy leaned on the bar as the bartender made her drink, her head bobbing with the music. She loved jazz and swing, especially the Glenn Miller Band. The music playing was like Glenn, but different enough that Lucy enjoyed listening to the harmonies. It reminded her of winter evening with her father listening to old records and learning the piano. She'd never been a good pianist, but she enjoyed reading the music. Reading music brought her a bit of happiness, like her own secret language no one else at home understood.

The bartender left the Manhattan in front of Lucy with a small flourish. She dropped a few coins on the table and picked up the martini glass. She turned around to face the dance floor and took a sip of her drink. The taste of bourbon and vermouth brought a sense of warmth and reminded her of Virginia. Careful to not spill the liquor, Lucy moved around the hall until she found an unoccupied table.

She sat there and watched the dancefloor. She could just make out Dot and Don dancing on the far side of the room.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there just watching, enjoying the music, and sipping her drink. The whole spectacle was so enthralling to watch.

"Dancing not really your speed," a man said behind her. Lucy jumped a little at the unexpected noise.

"Just looking for the right partner," she said looking over at the man, "you?"

The man was probably her age, but much smaller than the other men in the hall. He had blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that Lucy could swear were looking into her soul.

"Most girls don't want to dance with a man they have to worry about stepping on," he said, "may I sit?" Lucy nodded her assent and the man sat in the chair next to hers.

"I'm Steve," he said sticking his hand out to shake.

"Lucy, it's a pleasure to meet you, Steve," she said downing the last of her drink.

"Can I get you another drink," Steve asked. Lucy shook her head.

"One drink is plenty for me thanks."

"You here with anyone," Steve asked. Lucy nodded towards Dot on the dance floor.

She wasn't dancing with Don anymore, instead, she was dancing with a tall dark and handsome fellow. Dot seemed to be completely enamored by the man. She could hear Steve exhale heavily next to her.

"Seems my date has moved on," Lucy joked, "where is your date. Surely a handsome man such as yourself didn't come to a place like this alone." Steve seemed to stiffen at her remark.

"My friend, the one dancing with your friend. He brings me along on dates, but they always seem to go about as well as my dancing," Steve said looking at his hands.

"Do you want to dance," Lucy asked him. The band had started to play a slower song. One that was easier to dance too. Steve shook this head. "Not really much for dancing at the moment."

"Then how about we get out of here then. Go somewhere a little quieter," Lucy suggested.

This was something Lucy had never considering doing before, but there was something about Steve that she just couldn't explain. She felt like he was the most trustworthy person she could have ever met.

"Sure, I guess," Steve said. His eyes betrayed a different story. They seemed brighter than when he introduced himself to her. Like he couldn't believe a woman wanted to be alone with him.

"Come on," Lucy said standing from her seat. Dot was a grown woman and a WAVE, she'd be able to get herself home safely and on time.

Lucy and Steve quickly picked their way along the wall of the dance hall towards the exit. Twice, Lucy stopped short as a couple cut in front of her unexpectedly. Both times, Steve didn't stop in time and found himself running straight into Lucy's back.

As they exited, a man stopped them and stamped both their hands with what looked to Lucy like an old postage stamp. The night was colder than when she had entered the hall and she pulled her sweater closer to her.

"Sorry for bumping into you back there," Steve said stepping up to her side.

"It's fine. The place was hopping," Lucy said.

The pair fell into easy quite as they walked down the street. Steve looking at his feet and Lucy looking at Steve. It was several blocks of walking before either of them spoke.

"Can I," "So..."

The two stopped for second and looked at each. "You first," Steve said.

"Can I ask you a personal question," Lucy asked.

"Um, sure," Steve answered.

"If you don't enjoy the double dates your friend sets you up on, why do you go?" Steve looked in dead in the eye, "Because he's my friend, and he could be sent to Europe or the Pacific at any moment. Can I ask you something?"

Lucy nodded pulling her gaze away from Steve and starting to walk again. "You're not from around here, so why are you in Brooklyn?"

"Did my drawl give me away," Lucy asked. Steve nodded in the corner of her eye.

"I'm actually in the Bronx for WAVE training. My friend and I are on Shore Leave for 24 hours. I wanted to see the Natural History Museum and she wanted to go dancing," Lucy said.

"A WAVE huh. Didn't realize they let such pretty dames in," Steve said. Lucy felt a brief flash of heat in her cheeks.

"They actually only pick pretty dames it seems. Something about moral," Lucy joked. Steve choked and Lucy was worried that he might has swallowed his tongue.

"Do you…. Do you have your assignment yet? For when you finish training," Steve asked.

"Not yet. We only have a week left before we graduate. Our CO said we'd get out postings then. Though I'm hoping for a European or Pacific posting," Lucy said.

They turned a corner together. Lucy had no idea where they were and hoped that Steve knew where they were where.

"Overseas huh," he said. Steve sagged at the thought of this beautiful woman leaving the states for a place he'd been trying to go for years.

"Yes, that's what I'm hoping for. There's almost no chance, but a girl can dream," Lucy said. "If you could deploy where would you go." Steve straightened up, his face changing to disbelief. This woman had just asked him a question that no one else had ever thought. Not even Bucky thought he should go off to war, no matter what he said, thought, or felt.

"I'm not really sure. Its never been a possibility. I guess I'd want to go wherever I can do the most good," he said. Lucy smiled to herself, was this man real?

"Would you mind walking me back to the subway? If you couldn't tell it's my first time in Brooklyn," Lucy asked. Steve chuckled but nodded looking at the building around them.

The pair lapsed into silence again and stayed that way until the lights of the subway station were in view.

"Thank you, Steve," Lucy said turning to him.

"It was my pleasure Lucy," Steve said.

"Do you think we'll ever see each other again," she asked looking up at the station. The low rumble of trains entering and leaving the station filled the space between them.

"Do you want to see me again," Steve asked, surprise dancing across his face. Lucy smiled, "of course Steve. I wouldn't have asked otherwise."

"Oh, right," Steve said rubbing the back of his next. "When do you have leave next?"

Lucy closed her eyes and pinched her nose with her thumb and forefinger. When did she have shore leave again? "I don't think I have leave again until I've reached my new assignment," she said. Steve noticeable sagged at the notion, slowly turning as if to leave in defeat.

"I have it, why don't we write to each out," Lucy exclaimed. Steve faced her again, a questionnaire look on his face. "Dot is always on me about not having a solider to write to. Steve, would you be my solider to write to?"

Steve's mouth dropped open in shock, "of… of course, you can write to me." Lucy beamed at him, and Steve could feel a little flutter in his chest at the look. Was this what Bucky meant about finding a person that saw him for him?

Lucy had opened her purse and dug around the small pocketbook looking for a piece of paper and something to write with. Why was it that whenever she needed something out of her handbag she could never find it? She dug move and her fingers brushed a pen at the very bottom.

"We're in business," Lucy said as she removed the pen and the pamphlet from the natural history museum from her bag and proffering them to Steve. Steve's smile grew as he accepted the writing material from her. Placing the paper up again a light pole, Steve scribbled his address on the paper for her.

He handed the paper and pen back and gave her a second to look over the paper.

"You know for a man your handwriting if downright readable Steve," Lucy said stowing the paper in a small pocket within her purse. Steve blushed. Lucy smiled.

Another train rumbled into the station above.

"That might be my train. I should go," Lucy said. She didn't want to leave this man right here right now. She wasn't sure why, but something told her they'd see each other again sometime in the future.

"Go, catch your train. I'll be on the lookout for your letter," Steve said. Lucy nodded, "give me a couple of weeks to write. I'm sure between training and getting to my first assignment I won't have time to write." Steve laughed a little, "Go Lucy, or we'll be out here for another hour waiting for the train."

Lucy started up the steps of the station and looked over her shoulder at Steve. He had already started to walk off, probably back home. She took a deep breath and hoped the train would be there another minute. She ran back down the stairs and hugged Steve.

"Two weeks Steve. I'll write in two weeks, and I expect a reply," she said quietly. Steve nodded meekly. Her hug was making it hard for him to breath. She let go and hurried up the steps back toward her train and the isle of Manhattan. Steve stood there watching until the rumble of a train leaving reached his ears.

He wasn't sure if he could wait two weeks for Lucy's letter, but he would do this best to try.

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I am working on Chapter 3 and hope to have it up in the next week or so. _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**New York City – SHIELD Offices 2009 **

"First, I'd like to welcome every one of you to the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division, or SHIELD for short. The work that you will do here will directly impact the lives of people around the world. In addition, you will become part of sixty years of history. SHIELD was created in the wake of World War II as an independent intelligence organization to defeat HYDRA and protect the world in extraordinary situations. So far we have stuck to that mission and continue to be a leader in the intelligence community."

Lucy tried to engage with what the speaker was saying but looking at the slide above the HR person's head with pictures of Peggy, Howard and Col. Philips was hard. She had read everything Director Fury has given her and done some simple research on her own. This orientation thought reminded her so much of her first day at the Naval Building in DC, a day that felt like a lifetime ago.

"Before we continue, we have a special guest who would like to say a few words before we move on to taking your badge photographs and the benefits presentation." The HR person stepped aside and allowed Director Fury to take the podium. The other new hires around Lucy gasped in awe. Lucy shook her head. Of course, he'd make a special appearance at her orientation. She was starting to wonder if he was personally invested in her new life.

"Some of you may know me, some of you may not," he said taking the mark behind the podium. "My name is Director Fury. I would say welcome to SHIELD, but the lovely Ms. Pearson has already had that honor. Instead I'll keep this brief, SHIELD picked each of you for some reason, it may be your intellect, it may be your service records, or it may be that you are really good a knocking other people out." Chuckles rose from the group. "Regardless of why you are here, you are now an agent of SHIELD, so I wanted to give you all some advice that I've given to every agent I have ever met. Do not trust anyone, and always keep one eye open." Director Fury stepped back and walked off stage.

There were a few claps, buy Lucy guessed that most people didn't know how to react to Fury's words.

"All right everyone, time to get those badges made," Ms. Pearson said stepping down from the small stage and leading the group out of the room.

"Its going to be a long day," Lucy mumbled to herself hoping no one else heard her.

* * *

"So, Lucy, tell me a little about yourself. Fury told me a little, and your file was enlightening, but I wanted to hear from you," Jason said. Lucy and her new boss were sitting across from each other in a small restaurant a block away from the SHIELD. Lucy thought back to the file that Fury had given her to study trying to recall all the information.

"Well, I'm an only child. My mother died just after I was born of the flu. So, it's just been my father and I for as long as I can remember. He was a commercial fisherman and raised me on his boat. We did homeschooling until I got my GED, and we talked about college but it didn't seem feasible. We didn't really have money for higher education, a computer, or even the internet," Lucy said, "So instead, I started helping him more. We were able to grow the business just enough that we could afford a laptop and some college courses. From there I fell in love with codes, coding, and security and the rest if history."

She looked down at her plate of food. Jason had insisted this was the best Thai food in the city and was elated that Lucy had never tried the cuisine. He'd recommend the Pad Thai for a newbie. She had gotten it with chicken unsure of what the dish was. When a plate of translucent noodles in a brown sauce with vegetables and chicken was a surprise. It wasn't half bad, but Lucy was too nervous to eat.

"What drew you to counter-intelligence specifically," Jason asked. It was the logical next question, but Lucy didn't think this would be an interrogation.

"My grandmother was a WAVE during WWII. She worked in at the Navy Building in DC on JN25 and Purple," Lucy said, "Or so the family stories go." That wasn't too big of a lie. It was mostly true, but its not like this man would have the clearance to find out.

Jason seemed a little surprised as her forthrightness. Apparently, the story of the women codebreakers was still new to people as their work had only been recently declassified.

"Huh, very interesting. Did your Grandmother ever talk about the code," Jason asked.

"No," Lucy said, "she took the vow of secrecy more seriously than the 10 commandments."

"Well then, forget I said anything. Do you have any hobbies," Jason asked?

Lucy relaxed as the discussion moved away from her background and on to inane topics. After much picking, she lifted her fork to her mouth and tasted the dish. It was probably the best thing she'd ever eaten. She made a mental note to research Thai food when she returned home. She needed to learn how to make this herself. It beat the pot roast and roast chicken recipes she'd been making by a mile.

"Hobbies? Does it make me sound old fashioned if I say cooking and knitting," she asked? Jason shook his head and smiled at her, "not at all…"

The pair continued their lunch in a more enjoyable manner all the shop talk left behind.

As they walked back to the office, Lucy couldn't help but think she was going to fit in here just fine.

* * *

**Washington D.C – 1942**

Another city, another train station. Lucy stepped off the train in her Navy whites into the cavernous space that was Union Station. While it wasn't the overseas post she was hoping for, the sense of mystery her posting exuded couldn't be shaken.

Dot had received her orders to. She was also at the Naval Building, but in the less secret role of clerk. The pair had agreed to try and find an apartment together, since they'd already become accustom to each other's presence, and they'd heard that the temporary housing situation in DC was less than ideal.

They are heard of an apartment complex, Fillmore Gardens, in Arlington that was renting to women in government service and hoped that there was still a place available for them. So, Lucy's first order of business was to high tail it to the complex and secure an apartment. Dot would be arriving in a few days and Lucy had promised to have housing sorted by then.

The trip to Arlington was uneventful and Lucy was amazed at how the suburb seemed to teem with people.

Fillmore Gardens was a new apartment complex that had sprung up to house all the people pouring into DC for government work.

Lucy looked over the red brick buildings and the young women coming and going from the various buildings.

The management office was centrally located among the buildings and of the same red brick.

As she entered, Lucy survey the few empty desks and a small sign saying the manager would be back soon. Lucy sat down in one of the cane back chairs and waited.

The manager, an older woman that reminder Lucy of a stern school mistress, returned to the office about 15 minutes later.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," the woman said in a nasaly voice, "How can I help you?"

"It was no bother ma'am. I'm looking to rent an apartment," Lucy said standing up and offering her hand to shake.

The woman looked over Lucy's hands with a critical eye. "Government girl? Living by yourself?" the woman asked.

"Yes and No. I have a friend from training camp who will be arriving in a few days," Lucy said. The women's nose wrinkled.

"Another government girl," Lucy clarified. "We can make do with whatever is available."

The women nodded curtly. "Let me check to see what's available." She walked back to one of the desks and consulted a paper there.

"We have a 1 bedroom that's available today. Its $200 a month. It that something you can do?"

"Yes, we can manage that," Lucy said. $200/month, that would be a stretch for the pair, but they could always find another roommate. They'd been told about the housing crunch in DC and were prepared to make sacrifices to get the job done.

The women nodded and pulled a piece of paper out of her desk. "I'd like as much as you can spare to hold the place. I know you won't get paid for another couple of weeks so our normal first and last months rent is a bit of a stretch. Fill out this application and bring it back to me. I'll see if we can get you keys today."

Lucy sighed with relief and sat down at the desk to complete the application. That was one road lock down. Now to start this mystery job

* * *

**Later that week**_._

"Ladies, I would like to welcome you OP-20-G, or the 20th Division of the Office of Naval Communications- Communication Security. The work you have been chosen to do is critical to the war effort and has already saved thousands of lives. Over the next few weeks you will be trained in the art of cryptanalysis. Once you're training is complete, you will be assigned to a watch and a unit working on deciphering messages from around the world. Your assignment will be based on your aptitude for certain types of cyphers and languages. The nature of this work means that we require absolute secrecy regarding your work, schedule, even the building you work in. Any loose lips will result in immediate court martial," the older man in a captains uniform said looking at the room full of women.

The women, Lucy included, looked at each other nervously. Work that was secret? Work they had to be specially trained for? Sounded like fun.

* * *

_June 15, 1942 Washington DC _

_Dear Steve, _

_Thank you for agreeing to be my soldier. Most of the girls I'm working with are writing to three, four, or even five men at a time. Apparently writing keeps the men's hope alive and some have found either life-long friends or husbands out of the mix._

_I hope this will be a friendship for a lifetime. _

_I guess I should start with a little bit more about myself, since we didn't talk much about ourselves at the dance hall. I'm from outside Williamsburg, VA. My father is a fisherman on the James River and the bay. I'm an only child. Dad says that I look like my mother, but I don't remember her and there aren't any pictures of her. She died when I was little, the flu. Sometimes, I feel like my forgets I'm a girl and thinks I'm the son he always wanted. I used to help him with the work when I was younger. I can't count the number of times I've put a hook through my thumb. He stopped letting me help once I got to high school. He said the sea was no place for a girl of good stock. Needless to say, he was angry with me for joining the WAVES, but he came to see me last weekend and couldn't have been prouder._

_I wish I could talk about what I'm working, but everything is really hush hush. Just mentioning what building you work in can lead to a discharge. One of the girls here refused to let an Admiral into the office the other day because he didn't have the proper clearance papers. You should have seen the look on his face. He wanted to explode at the girl, but had to keep a straight face, and ended up thanking her for her dedication later that day. _

_Do you have any hobbies? I've been struggling to find one. I tried cross stitch and knitting, but I don't think I'm really good at it. Dot, my friend who lives with me, just laughs at my attempts. I can play the piano, but I haven't found one around that would fit into my apartment. _

_But enough about me. I want to hear everything about you. I want ot you feel like you can tell me anything. _

_Hoping for a letter soon, _

_Lucy_

* * *

Steve had been waiting for a letter from Lucy. He was near desperation, to the point he considered stalking Mr. Beavers, the elderly mailman.

"What's got you twisted?" Bucky asked from the couch. The pair had just returned from lunch at the Barnes family residence where Bucky's family fawned over Steve like a lost dog. They'd tried to give him money to go back to art school, but he couldn't accept it. Rebecca's wedding was fast approaching, and Steve couldn't take money from them that could go toward something happy.

"Just waiting for the mail Buck," Steve said pacing the small living area.

"It comes at the same time every day punk," Bucky said a smirk on this face, "why do you want the mail so much? Is it about that dame from a few weeks ago?"

Steve look away from Bucky trying to hid the redness in his cheeks.

"So, it is about the dame," Bucky said, "I guess I'll let you know if any letters that smell like perfume arrive."

"Eat shit Buck," Steve shot back.

As if on cue, the soft clunk of the mail slot signaled the arrival of the mail. Steve was there looking through the envelopes before Bucky to even start to lift himself form the couch.

There it was amongst the bills they didn't have money to pay just yet. A small crème colored envelope with his name on the front in small neat script. The return address indicated the sender was Lucy Bryne. It was finally here.

Steve bolted for his room so far, Bucky was worried he would give himself an asthma attack.

"Happy Reading Punk," he called jokingly as the door slammed shut.

Safe in his room Steve carefully opened the letter and began to read.

_June 20, 1942 Brooklyn _

_Dear Lucy, _

_Thank you for your letter. I was worried that you were joking about writing to me. _

_It sounds like you had a very interesting childhood. I've never been on a real boat before, unless you count the Staten Island Ferry. Bucky, my best friend, and I took it once for a day trip. I may have spent most of the trip sea sick. _

_Everything about me huh? I'm not exactly sure where to start. My never-ending list of medical conditions or all the fights I've lost? _

_I guess we should start with something simple. It was just me and my mother growing up. My father died in the Great War from mustard gas before I was born. So, we have that in common. My mother died about five years ago from TB. Now it's just Bucky and me in tiny apartment. We've both lived in Brooklyn all our lives and have been best friends almost as long. You sort of met Bucky at the dance hall. He was the tall dark soldier dancing with your friend. _

_We tried to join up together. Bucky is a Corporal now, and my asthma means I'm stuck in Brooklyn. He could be shipping gout any day and all I want is to go with him. He keeps saying I'm lucky to not be going, that I can still do my part at home. Don't tell anyone, but I'm going to keep trying to enlist. They'll have to let me in eventually. _

_Hobbies? I love to draw. I took some art classes at the local college before mom got sick. Before the war, I drew for a comic. It was reasonably popular, but with the war there isn't much work. I've included a sketch I did a few days ago. __I'd love __ Let me know what you think? _

_I'd like to write more, I'm about to be late for my paper run. _

_Looking forward to your next letter. _

_Steve_

* * *

_Author: Another Chapter Down! Let me know what you think. _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**New York City – SHIELD Offices 2009**

"Hey Janet," Lucy said stopping at her coworker's desk, "What are we trying for dinner tonight?"

Janet looked away from the email she was writing to glance at Lucy. Lucy was leaning over her cubicle wall just inches away from knocking over her treasured Holographic Darth Vader funko pop figure.

"Haven't decided yet Lucy. Was thinking about Ethiopian or Polish," Janet said, "I'll send out an email as soon as I've decided. Lucy smiled, "both sound delicious Jan."

Walking back to her desk, Lucy couldn't help but be thankful for her coworkers. They'd really taken her under their wings and were doing their best to 'bring her up to speed'. The Cuisine Collective was just one of the initiatives they'd started to make Lucy feel at home and expose her to the delights of New York City. It was simple, each week one of the team members would choose a cuisine for the group to eat and make a reservation at a restaurant somewhere in the five boroughs. After work, the team would meet up and enjoy a meal together. It had apparently done wonders for the team's morale and communication.

There were also shopping trips, book club, and movie club. Lucy especially liked the shopping trips with Janet and Shelly, another analyst. They'd introduced her to the world of vintage-inspired fashion which was perfect. She could still dress like it was 1945 but make it just modern enough to not look like she was in a costume all the time.

Lucy caught a glimpse of herself in the black screen of her computer. Her hair was getting long again. The reddish-brown locks were brushing the tops of her shoulders. She could start putting it up as she had before the war. She was always partial to neatly braided buns, but her hair would need time to grow to the length needed for that. She'd have to think about and research hairstyles on YouTube to see what she could do in the interim. She also examined her makeup. She was still getting used to having so many options and products to use. The foundation was holding up better than the one Janet had told her to try. Her pale skin looked better than in the full coverage gloop she'd tried previously even if the smattering of freckles on her nose showed through. She liked the brown eyeliner she'd tried today. It seemed to set off her brownish hazel eyes better than the heavy black Shelly had tried one weekend.

Lucky shook her head, breaking herself out of her internal monologue, and logged into her workstation. How did she already have 10 emails? She'd only been gone a few minutes. Lucy glanced through the emails quickly sorting the items into folders, marking unimportant messages as read.

One email caught Lucy's attention.

**IMPORTANT | DELETE and EMPTY TRASH AFTER READING **

Her mouse hovered over the mail viewing panel while she debated if she should preview the message. The sender was listed as, definitely not suspicious.

"Why not, what's the worst it could be," Lucy told herself opening the email.

The body of the email was completely empty. A single file was attached to the document labeled HV1?. Lucy clicked on it and was surprised when the computer asked for her permission to open the Windows Media Player. Lucy tensed, she didn't want to think about what was about to play. The file started to play, and Lucy was hit with a cacophony of sound. She could make out some of the snippets in the mix, but she really hoped the file wasn't what she thought it was.

She saved the file to a small stick drive that she kept for items that Jason had said maybe clandestine, then removed all evidence that the file had ever been on her computer.

A small ding indicating a new email arrival startled Lucy.

**Ethnic Dining Club Decision | Polish | Karczma | 8PM **

Lucy let out a small breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and looked at the flash drive in her hand. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Washington DC -1942  
**

Lucy looked herself over before entering the Navy. Her skirt was straight, and her blouse nicely tucked into the waistband. "Time to crack some eggs," Lucy told herself.

It was her first day out of training and she was nervous. Today, she'd be assigned to a code group and start working on breaking codes. Her hands were sweaty as she entered, but whether it was the summer heat or her nerves was unclear.

There was a small piece of paper on the wall that listed all the women who had recently completed their training and their room assignments. Her name was near the top of the list: Bryne, Lucy: Room B12. 

B-12 was in the next building over. Lucy quickly about-faced and walked to the next building. Room 12 should be in the back of the building somewhere.

Sure enough, B-12 was the back corner of the building and was as hot as the hinges on the gates of Hades. Lucy made a mental note to find a small fan like the ladies at her church back home used on Sundays sooner rather than later.

There were only two other women in the room. One looked to be in her mid-thirties or possibly forties in a drop waist yellow cotton dress and sandals. The other was a young woman, younger than Lucy, in a fashionable cornflower blue shirt dress with half-sleeves.

"Hello, I'm Lucy Bryne. I was assigned to this room," Lucy said to get the ladies' attention.

Both women looked up at Lucy quizzically.

"Did you request another codebreaker," the younger woman asked.

"I don't think so. But Commander Wenger might have decided we needed someone else without consulting me," the older woman answered.

"I'm sorry, maybe I read the assignment sheet wrong. This is B-12 right," Lucy said very confusedly.

"Yes, this is B-12, also known as the Trash Bin," the older woman answered, "I'm Katherine and this is Sally."

"It's very nice to meet you both. What do you mean the Trash Bin?" Lucy asked.

"Basically, any intercepted transmission that isn't readily identified by country or code type comes to us. My predecessor Margaret called us the Office for Dead Transmissions," the older woman said.

Lucy's eyebrows rose. How could a transmission not be readily identified? Certainly, it was obvious where something came from or was going.

"Well, where should I start then," Lucy asked looking around the room. There were plenty of tables in the room, and every inch was covered in paper. Katherine and Sally looked at each other and shrugged, acquiescing to having another person in their domain.

"How about the corner by the windows. We haven't looked over any of those transmissions yet. If you have questions or think you've figured out where something needs to go, let either of us know," Sally said pointing to the far corner of the room.

Lucy set her small bag down on an open chair and picked up the first scrap of paper. Pulling out a small pencil from her bag, she started a frequency count of the letters and numbers in the message.

* * *

_July 15, 1942 _

_Dear Steve, _

_I am so sorry it took so long for me to write back. I did get your letter just after the 4__th__, but I've been so busy at work. I completed my training period and got my assignment. Its hard work and sometimes tedious, but every breakthrough is so exhilarating. _

_Yes, I was serious in my last letter. I want to know everything about you: medical, fights, hopes, dreams, friends, deepest fears. Everything! I'll demonstrate for you. I love music, specifically classical and jazz. Swing is ok, but it has nothing on jazz. Like I said in my last letter, I can play the piano, but not well. My father used to love my plinking attempts at Mozart or Bach after a hard day's fishing. Dot and I are trying to find a piano we can afford that fits in our apartment. Dot plays too and was apparently the pride of her church in Lynchburg. What else…. I'm a Libra, I broke my arm as a child. I'm not sure about my fight list. I was quite the puncher in high school. _

_Is that enough about me for one letter? _

_I'm sorry to hear about your parents. I can't fathom losing my father, after all, we've been through together. At least you have Buck? He seems like a great friend. Dot says she's thinking about sending him a letter, think he'd mind? _

_So, you want to be a soldier? If it's something that is really important to you, I'll support you 100%. I get where Buck is coming from. My dad said the same thing when I enlisted with the WAVES. Regardless, it's your life and you get to do with it what you want. Isn't that what we're fighting for in the war? Herr Hitler is just a big bully who wants to tell the world what to think and it is not ok. _

_Thank you very much for the drawing. You'll be tickled to hear that the drawing is now the only decoration in Dot and my apartment. It has a place of pride above the small fireplace. That sketchy shrimp and its lobster pal bring some real joy to our days. _

_I need to end here, so I can get this to the mailbox in time for pick-up. _

_Looking forward to your next letter,_

_Lucy. _

Lucy carefully blotted the excess ink from the page and folded the letter in thirds. Then, because she'd seen Dot do it a hundred times, she reached for her perfume bottle. The stopper came away with light pop and Lucy placed a single dab on the page. With a small prayer to whatever god was listening, Lucy shoved the letter into the already addressed envelope, sealed it, and ran for the mailbox.

* * *

_July 30__th,__ 1942_

_Dear Lucy, _

_It's my turn to apologize for tracking too long to write. I've had a bit of a cold and Bucky has been fretting over me like a mother hen. I'm on the mend now, just the occasional cough._

_Did you do something different to the letter this time? Bucky said whatever you did made the whole apartment smell like flowers for a few days. I couldn't really smell anything. _

_A puncher huh? Guess we have that in common. I wouldn't have guessed that from our meeting at the dance hall. You seemed like the epitome of grace and poise. It must be all that sailor in you. I get into lots of fights, more than I probably should. I just can't standby when someone is in danger or someone is being a bully. I hate bullies, no matter who they are or where they're from. Bucky joked once that I've probably seen every alley in Brooklyn at this point. _

_I'd really like to hear you play sometime, both Buck and I have tin ears. Last year, we finally had enough saved to buy a second-hand record player. We only have a few records mostly swing and jazz too. Bucky really likes Glen Miller, says he's perfect for dancing. I'm partial to Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald if I had to choose. I'm not sure if I've ever heard Mozart or Bach. You'll have to introduce me. _

_*ink splotch* _

_You've hung my sketch on your wall? I'm flattered. I've included another drawing with this letter. Let me know if you can figure out what the picture is supposed to be. _

_I guess I should probably tell you more about me now. I've lived in Brooklyn my whole life. There is no better borough in all of New York. I wasn't sure what a Libra was, but I looked it up. Rebecca, Bucky's sister, said it was a horoscope thing in the newspaper. Based on that your birthday is sometime in October? According to Rebecca, I'm a Sagittarius whatever that means. _

_Hm… I like comic books, but you probably figured that out in my last letter. Since I mentioned having drawn for one. I'm pretty sure Bucky likes comics too. I've caught him sneaking looks at the few I have in the apartment. It's hard to decide if I have a favorite comic. Maybe Detective Comics? I prefer Batman to Superman. Batman is just a normal person, albeit rich. _

_I hope you and Dot are doing okay by yourselves in DC. Bucky has been waiting for Dot to write him. He didn't even want to go out last week. Hopefully, she'll write soon. _

_Looking forward to your next letter. _

_Steve_

Steve carefully folded his letter and the charcoal sketch he'd picked out. He hoped she'd figure out the sketch. Bucky had initially been shocked at the quality of the drawing. He was used to Steve's comic book style of drawing.

"Have you sent the letter yet," Bucky called from the sofa.

"I'm sealing the letter now," Steve called back.

"You know that broad is going to freak out about the drawing Steve. It looks like one of those drawing in the museums," Bucky said.

"We don't know if she'll even know that the drawing is," Steve said pessimistically.

"Steve, if she doesn't figure it out, then she isn't the dame for you," Bucky said. Steve sighed, grabbing his jacket from the hook by the door.

"I'm going to work Buck. See you for dinner, and please don't burn the cabbage this time."

Bucky rolled his eyes and chuckled quietly to himself as the door slammed closed behind Steve.

* * *

Lucy paced by the postal boxes at Fillmore Gardens. Steve's letter was late, or at least later than she'd thought it would be. She wasn't sure why she was so anxious about receiving his next letter. They were just penpals, and letters would come when they came. The mailman never let anyone get their mail before he was finished, and he was taking his sweet time today filing each apartment's box with various letters.

"I'm all done Ms. Lucy," the mailman said stepping out of the small mail area.

"Thank you, Martin," Lucy said stepping past him, her mailbox key already out and ready.

The box was fairly empty today. It looked like only two or three pieces of mail. Lucy reached in a grabbed the envelopes. She tried not to look at the fronts. If one of the letters was Steve's she'd stop right, there and read it. Honestly, it was too hot to do that. August in DC was nearly intolerable. The city sweltered and the humidity was worse than anything Lucy could remember growing up. Lucy locked the box back up and walked as quickly as she could without running back to the apartment. Both she and Dot were off and they'd been planning to go piano hunting later.

"Did that letter you were waiting for arrive," Dot asked from the kitchen as the front door closed behind Lucy. Ignoring Dot, Lucy began to look at the letters. First was the electric bill. Lucy set that one on the counter for Dot to look at. The second, a letter to Dot from her mother. She handed that one over without a word.

Lucy's heart lept at the final piece of mail. It was a letter from Steve. "Finally," she breathed. Lucy opened the letter carefully. There were several sheets of paper in the fold. Either Steve had written her a very long letter, or he'd included another drawing. She hoped for another drawing.

The two women stood in complete silence as they read their respective letters. Lucy savored each word on the page. Steve had written to her and it seemed like he was starting to open up. As she finished the letter, Lucy shifted the pages in her hands to look at the picture. It was a charcoal sketch, a little smudged from being included in the letter.

Lucy placed the main letter on the kitchen counter and stared at the drawing. Was that the night they met? She could make out have looked like a dance floor and a band in the background. The focus of the drawing, however, was a person from behind. Lucy assumed it was her, as the figure had a solitary victory roll on the left side of the head and soft curls tumbling to their shoulders. The profile of a martini glass could be seen with a darkly colored cherry at the rim. The figure seemed to be surveying the dance floor and was alone at a small round table. The drawing was beautiful. Lucy could not believe Steve had drawn this and sent it to her. It belonged in a gallery where everyone could view his work.

"Luc," Dot said coming to her side, "you alright? Is Steve…." She stared at the sketch in Lucy's hand.

"That's incredible," she said.

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it," Lucy said quietly.

This picture would be taking the place of pride above the fireplace. She and Dot would find somewhere else to hang the comical shrimp.

* * *

_**Author Note: Finally done with Chapter 4. Hopefully, Chapter 5 won't take as long. There will be a time jump in both timelines to get the story moving a little bit faster. **_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Brooklyn, January 2011**

Lucy opened the door to her small Brooklyn apartment well after midnight. She dropped her backpack by the front door and slowly made her way to the small kitchen. She needed a drink after the day she'd had.

It had been another long day at the SHIELD offices. The amount of work in her department had nearly tripled since the Stark Expo attack. The terrorist networks were abuzz with messages flying faster than anyone could decode or track them. As head of the so called "Lost Letter Office", Lucy had been even busier. Her team did their best, but the workload and stress were starting to take their toll. She'd had to break up a fight between her best cryptographer and the team's lead analyst. Bryce and Carter had started screaming at each other over the importance of a message Bryce had been working for weeks to crack. He was convinced it was a call to arms for some shadowy organization that was planning an unspecified attack on an unspecified American target. Carter, on the other hand, was certain the message was just two hackers talking to each other about some obscure science fiction novel. Lucy had physically put herself between the two men to get them to calm down.

Lucy opened her fridge and sighed heavily. The fridge looked like Edward Norton's in fight club. It was full of condiments and not much else. Grocery shopping had been hard with the hours she'd been working at the office lately. Lucy closed the fridge and moved to a small cabinet to its right. She pulled out the bottle of Talisker and an old-fashioned glass.

A double scotch was just what Lucy needed to forget the day, the fight, and Maria Hill's increasingly insistent emails requesting updates. Lucy dropped a large ice sphere into her drink from the freezer and took a sip. The brown liquor warmed her stomach and calmed the hunger that gnawed at her stomach. As she drank, Lucy looked through the takeout menus on her fridge before selecting a local pizzeria that was open late. Lucy placed her order and sat down on her couch to wait for the pizza.

Another double scotch later, the pizza had arrived. Lucy took in the smell of her pepperoni and mushroom pie. The scent of red pepper flakes and cheese made her mouth water. Lucy pulled a slice out of the box and to her mouth. The first slice was gone in a flash and Lucy was soon devouring her second slice.

As she crunched on the crust of her third slice, Lucy walked to the murphy bed that took up one wall of her studio apartment and pulled it down. The back wall of the murphy bed was covered in scraps of paper. It honestly looked like one of those crazy conspiracy theory walls from TV. She had been working on deciphering the media file, and several other similar files for over a year. All the old ciphers were dead ends. She was trying to get into the mind of the new cipher developers. Over the last 70 years someone had figured out that the codes had been broken and made them more complex. Lucy pulled a CD from a thumbtack and inserted into the CD player she'd found at Goodwill.

Each recording she'd received had been burned to a CD so she could work on the codes without fear of being tracked online. Each track sounded like a bad remix of popular songs. Coupled with the music industry's penchant for sampling some other songs, the code became nearly impossible without the key.

"Maybe I need to run the files through a different decryption program," Lucy brainstormed. She'd tried one of SHIELD's programs on the first file without success. Hell, she'd tried hundreds of decryption programs, traditional cyphers, and even an enigma cipher. She was running out of options.

Sighing, Lucy passed the CD player on her way back to the kitchenette for more pizza and scotch. Without thinking she brushed up against one of the player's dials. The track slowed down to an incredibly slow speed. Lucy was picking up her fourth slice when she realized that she could make out a melody and a few foreign words. Could it really be that simple? Sure, in the complex world of the 21st century, the simplest answers could often be overlooked. Lucy dropped her slice back in the box and hurried back to the CD player. There was a small knob on the left side of the box labeled speed. It had been turned down to 0.5 speed. Lucy turned the knob back to the 1, and the familiar cacophony returned. She quickly returned the speed to 0.5 and restarted the track. The strains of an oboe filled the apartment.

She'd made a breakthrough. She'd really done it. Lucy danced around her apartment with joy as first the wind section then the full orchestra joined the oboe. She'd start working on identifying the composition and decrypting the first message in the morning. Now, it was time to celebrate.

* * *

**Brooklyn – December 1942**

Steve paced in front of the subway station. His hands were slick, and his heartbeat was erratic. She was late. Not grossly late, but late enough that Steve was starting to worry. What if she had missed her train? What if she'd decided to head back to Williamsburg and spend the holiday on her father's boat? Maybe she'd been held up at work and missed her train?

Bucky leaned against a nearby wall watching Steve pace. "If you keep this up, you'll end up in the hospital Steve. She'll get here when she gets here," he said, lighting a cigarette. Bucky refused to smoke in the apartment for fear of triggering Steve's asthma. He knew Steve hated his habit, but the waiting was starting to frazzle his nerves as well.

"I know that Buck, but what if she decided against coming," Steve asked. The screech train breaks reached their ears. The pair of young men stilled and quieted. The murmur of people beginning to bubble up from the platform followed the screech a few minutes later..

Bucky took one last long drag on his cigarette before tossing it to the concrete and putting out the stub with his shoe heel. Steve ran a hand through his hair and adjusted his coat.

People began to file out of the subway and disperse along the sidewalks and streets. Towards the end of the group was a slightly familiar woman in a forest green skirt and red sweater with a small suitcase in her hands. Her reddish brown hair was wrapped around her head in a braided halo style. She looked side to side as if looking for someone.

"Steve," she called waving her free hand at the pair.

"Lucy, you made it," Steve called back hurrying over.

"Sorry, I was later than expected. We had a huge breakthrough at the office earlier this week, and it's been all hands on deck. I might have missed the first train," Lucy said, engulfing Steve in a hug. Her suitcase dropped to the pavement beside her.

Bucky gave Steve an I-told-you-so look over Lucy's shoulder. Steve glared back.

As the pair stepped back, Bucky chuckled at the light blush on both his friends and the dame's faces.

"You must be Bucky," Lucy said turning to the tall dark and handsome man, "Steve's told me a lot about you and Dot may have said some things as well."

"It's a pleasure Ms. Bryne," Bucky said, taking her hand to place a light kiss on it. "The punk forgot to mention how beautiful you are."

"Lucy please," she said, "I also have a delivery for you Mr. Barnes." Lucy reached into her oversized purse and produced a package that was almost the same size as the bag. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. A letter was wedged under the twine knot, Bucky's real name emblazoned on it in a looping green script.

"Dot says Merry Christmas James," she said with a smile. Bucky blushed a deep shade of crimson that caused Steve to laugh. Bucky glared at Steve as he took the package from Lucy.

"Let's get back to the apartment. I'm sure you'll want to rest after that train journey," Steve said, moving to pick up Lucy's dropped suitcase.

"Thanks Steve," Lucy said as the trio headed home.

"Welcome to our humble abode," Steve said as the trio walked through the door.

"Yeah, it's not much, but its home," Bucky said from behind Lucy.

Lucy surveyed the apartment. It was for lack of a better word cramped. The kitchen consisted as a small refrigerator, a two burner stove, a sink and a square of butcher block counter. There were a few cane back chairs and a couch that had seen better days. A trio of doors stood against the far wall which likely led to the bedrooms and bathroom.

"It's cozy. Dot and my apartment back in DC isn't much bigger. Granted we have a larger kitchen, but it was part of the reason we chose the place we did," Lucy said.

Lucy made her way over to one of the chairs and sat down demurely. She tucked her skirt under herself and reached down to take off her shoes. Heels were wonderful things, but after walking what felt like half of Brooklyn they were torture devices.

Steve disappeared into one of the doors with her suitcase and Bucky collapsed on the couch, Dot's package still in his hands.

"Do you know what's in here," Bucky asked.

"No idea just that Dot wanted to make sure it got to you before Christmas," Lucy said lightly rubbing the ball of her right foot. "She said you could open it early if you wanted."

That was all the permission Bucky needed to begin unwrapping his package. He worked the letter out first. It was thicker than Lucy had normally seen Dot send. She'd probably taken advantage of not having to pay postage for her item and written to her heart's content.

The pair sat in silence as Bucky opened and read the letter. Steve joined the pair a few minutes later, taking the chair next to Lucy.

"What's going on," Steve asked in a whisper.

"Just a bit of quite so Bucky can enjoy his gift from Dot," Lucy whispered back. Steve nodded in understanding. Lucy leaned over to grab Steve's hand and entwining their fingers. Steve blushed a little at the unexpected contact but soon relaxed into the feeling.

Bucky's eyes were glistening as he carefully placed Dot's letter on the couch next to him and picked up the gift. He made quick, yet careful work of the twine and paper, placing the items on his other side for later use.

The cardboard box was also quickly opened to reveal the contents: a small teddy bear, a bottle of perfume, and a book.

Bucky extracted the items with great care and turned each over in his hands before returning them to the box.

Lucy smiled. Dot had told her the concept behind her present to Bucky, but not the exact contents.

"Is that a teddy bear Buck," Steve asked quietly. Bucky nodded water leaking from his eyes.

"I told Dot about the time I lost Bucky Bear at Coney Island when we were kids," Bucky said choking on his words slightly, "She wrote back that teddies are our first friends and no one should be without theirs."

Lucy looked over at Steve and tugged at his hand ever so slightly.

"How about you show me your room Steve," she whispered. Steve blushed a bright red color.

"Sure," he whispered back.

The pair left Bucky to sit quietly with the most thoughtful gifts a woman, not related to him, had ever given.

Lucy and Steve sat on the firescape outside his small bedroom window admiring the night sky over Brooklyn and the faint light of New York City in the distance. .

The pair sat shoulder to shoulder on the small metal grate, their legs hanging just over the end. Their backs were against the red brick of the building. Lucy's skirt was tucked around her legs to provide extra insulation in the rapidly chilling night air.

"You don't have as many stars as Williamsburg does," Lucy said softly to Steve.

"The only downside of living in the city," Steve said back.

Lucy shivered slightly and tried to move closer to Steve.

"Are you cold? We could move back inside if you'd be more comfortable," Steve said, adjusting his position slightly to better accommodate Lucy on the fire escape.

"I'm just a little chilled. Can we stay out here a few minutes more? Or do you need to get back inside," Lucy asked. She lay her head down on Steve's shoulder and just breathed him in. The unmistakable scent of male mixed with ink and paper. There was also a subtle undertone of smoke. But she assumed that was more Bucky than Steve.

The pair sat in silence for another few minutes until Steve began to shiver. Then they crawled back through Steve's window, him first then Lucy. In his room, the pair sat on the edge of Steve's narrow bed enjoying each other's company.

"Steve, I hate to ask, but where am I going to sleep," Lucy asked.

"Bucky and I agreed that you would sleep in here. I'm going to take the couch," Steve said looking up at her slightly.

"Steve, I can't put you out of your own bed. I never wanted to impose on you. You keep your bed. I'll sleep on the couch," Lucy said standing from the bed.

"Lu, please. The couch isn't big enough for you to sleep comfortably. I can fit, and it doesn't bother me," Steve said standing up as well.

Lucy shook her head. "I can't and won't do that to you Steve."

Steve sighed exasperatedly, "Lu there isn't another way for this to work."

Lucy stood still going over the options in her head. She looked between Steve, the door and the bed.

"What if we both slept in here," she asked, "I'm pretty sure we can both fit on that bed."

Steve turned beet red. "I'm not certain that's a good idea Lu."

"Why not? It solves the couch issue, and it'll be warmer if we share the bed," Lucy asked. Her eyes bore into his sky blue ones, challenging him.

"Because you are a woman and I am a man, and we are not married," Steve protested. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Let's get married then," she deadpanned. Steve swayed slightly on the spot.

"Please tell me you're joking," Steve said his voice wavering slightly.

"People are getting married for less right now," Lucy said.

"That's a huge step and a massive commitment. You realize I'm catholic right. I don't believe in divorce. If we get married, that's it," Steve said.

"Your point? My parents got married after three months, yours less. We've been writing for six months. We've shared secrets, dreams, or I thought we had," Lucy said, turning away from Steve. Tears were starting to well in her eyes, and she couldn't bear to look at him.

"We have Lu. Trust me. I've written things to you that I've never even spoken aloud before," Steve said, moving to stand behind her, "Marriage. It's a step with tremendous implications, and I don't want you running into this blindly." Steve wrapped his arms around Lucy, pulling her into his slight frame.

"Steve," Lucy said turning around in his arm, "I wouldn't have come to spend Christmas with you if I didn't feel there was something here." She stared down at him. Her hazel eyes bore into his blue eyes, searching for feelings she hoped were there.

Steve stared back at Lucy for a second and time seemed to slow. In her eyes, Steve could see everything clearly. Everything he had ever dreamed of was in those greenish brown depths. It wasn't possible, Steve thought to himself. They had only known each other for six months, and while that was long for most people, it had been only by mail. How could he feel like this about a person after only being around them a few hours? Silently, he said a Hail Mary and asked for guidance. Then he did what he'd wanted to do all those months ago on the subway steps. .

He reached up for Lucy's head and stood on tiptoe. His hands connected with the sides of her face, pulling her down slightly to match his extended height. He watched as her eyes fluttered closed and closed his eyes as well. Their noses passed each other and their lips met. As if on cue a burst of joy and desire filled him. The feeling of her warm lips on his was more than he could describe. Steve could stay here forever and be happy.

Lucy pulled back and opened her eyes the tiniest bit. Steve was still there, as if turned to stone by a single kiss. His hands remained on the sides of her head and his long fingers desperately tried to tangle themselves in her braid. She wrapped her arms around his torso, pulled him against her, and kissed him again. This time she kissed him quickly laying on several pecks in quick succession.

"Wow," Steve breathed as Lucy pulled away.

"Uh huh," Lucy said quietly. Steve reached up and peck her lips again for good measure.

"Do you know how long I've wanted to do that," he asked, pulling back.

"About six month," Lucy said, "you gave it away with the picture you sent back in August." Steve smiled at her.

"So can I sleep here tonight," Lucy asked quietly, "while we debate how to tell Bucky and my dad that we're getting married?"

Steve nodded pulling Lucy to the small bed. The pair lay down wrapping their arms around each other's waists.

"I'm sorry about not having a ring for you or anything," Steve whispered. Lucy tightened her arm around Steve, pulling him closer to her.

"Dear future husband, I don't need anything but your love," she said. Steve flushed at her words. Finally someone thought he was enough. He really wanted to get her a ring, even if it was a simple band. Something to show the world that she was his and he was hers. How long would it take him to save up for a ring? Then it hit him. His mother's wedding ring was in his dresser. He'd saved it after her death because she had always wanted him to give it to his wife.

"I'll be back in one second," Steve said getting up from the bed. Lucy tried to stop him from leaving by increasing the weight of her arm, but he pulled free. He padded over to his dresser and opened the top drawer. Steve moved his socks aside to retrieve a small leather pouch from the back. Inside, the bag was a rose tinted gold band with a small bezel set diamond flanked by two smaller bezel set sapphires.

Returning to the bed, Steve got down on one knee withdrawing the ring from its bag.

"Lucy Bryne, will you marry me," he asked, the ring held out in front of him.

"Yes, Steve Rogers, I will marry you," Lucy said.

Steve, smiling from ear to ear, pulled Lucy's hand to him and slid the ring onto her finger.

"Now, get up here and kiss me some more," Lucy giggled, pulling Steve back into the bed.

Steve woke first the next morning. They'd fallen asleep in their clothes and each other's arms. Lucy was on her stomach, leg hanging off the bed, her arm still wrapped around his stomach. Her hair had begun escaping its braid during the night, little wisps standing up in defiance. Steve was on his side still, curled into Lucy. This woman had agreed to be his wife just a few hours prior. Steve whispered a prayer of thanks to the Virgin Mary and just lay there enjoying the warmth and joy the strange positions brought him.

"Steve, did you…" Bucky started as he entered the room. He stopped halfway in when he realized Steve and Lucy were in bed together. Bucky's eyes when wide, and his mouth formed an O as he tried to back track out of the room.

"I'll explain later," Steve mouthed. He could feel Lucy starting to stir next to him. Bucky closed the door softly.

"What was that," Lucy mumbled, her face half buried in a pillow.

"Bucky," Steve whispered back. Lucy's eyes opened wide and she tried to get up. Not realizing the position she'd woken up in, Lucy tumbled off the site of the bed with a thunk. She pulled Steve with her. He landed on top of her, forcing the air from Lucy's lung. His legs tangled with her, and his face was in the middle of her chest.

"Get off," Lucy wheezed. Steve, now a bright pink color rolled off Lucy and sat up against one wall of the room. Bucky burst back through the door a second later.

"Everyone okay here. I heard a…" he started as he surveyed the room. Bucky then dissolved into laughter. He doubled over holding his stomach laughing harder than he had in months.

"Did someone have issues this morning," he said between gasps for breath. Lucy glared at Bucky as she picked herself up. Steve stifled a giggled as he watched Lucy get up and Bucky's attempts to breath between guffaws.

Lucy dusted her skirt off and smoothed her sweater. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a bath and change," she said. She walked over to the dresser and grabbed her suitcase from its top. Lucy left the room with a huff. Bucky and Steve winced as they heard the bathroom door slam closed and the water begin to run.

The two looked at each other then in the direction of the bathroom before dissolving into a round of sniggers.

"Already sharing your bed punk," Bucky chidded. Steve could feel the heat in the tips of his ears. How was he going to tell his best friend that he was getting married to the girl in the next room? Bucky's eyes narrowed as Steve took longer than normal to come up with a response.

"Did something last night," Bucky probed. Steve gulped. Better to get this over with Steve thought.

"I asked Lucy to marry me," Steve said. Bucky froze. That was not what he'd been expecting Steve to say.

"And I'm hoping we can convince Father Seamus to do the service before Christmas," Steve continued. His face grew redder as he talked. Bucky's face fell with each word.

"Are you really ready for marriage punk? Please tell me you didn't lose your senses and do something stupid," Bucky said.

"I swear Buck. We talked about it last night. No losing of senses, nothing stupid. It just feels right with her," Steve said.

"Well, if you're sure punk, then you have my blessing. Never thought I'd see the day Steve Rogers settled down," Bucky said clapping his hand onto Steve's shoulder.

"Glad to have your approval Buck," Steve said looking up at his oldest friend, "Would you be my best man?" Bucky nodded, pulling Steve into a large hug.

"Of course man. I'd be hurt if you didn't ask," Bucky said, "Now let's see about breakfast." Steve nodded, but stayed behind as Bucky left the room so he could change his clothes.

The pair were standing at the cooktop, pans on the burners when Lucy exited the bathroom. She was dressed in a simple grey dress and hose. Her hair hung loose to her mid-back and was noticeably damp.

"What are you cooking," she asked, moving toward the stove. The pair looked up at her from the pans.

"Eggs and toast," Steve said cautiously poking the contents of a pan. Lucy glanced over Steve's shoulder at the pan contents. The bread was a deep brown bordering on black.

"Steve, you might want to pull the toast out. It's starting to burn," Lucy said. Steve looked over his shoulder at Lucy then back at the pan. Sighing he tipped the bread out on a towel. Lucy glanced at the other pan with the eggs. They were also a bit overdone, but still perfectly edible.

"Do we have plates," Lucy asked the pair. Bucky nodded, turning to one of the cabinets and extracting three cracked plates. Lucy took the plates from Bucky balancing them carefully on her arm. She placed a piece of toast on each plate then had Steve scoop an egg on to each piece of toast.

Bucky and Steve each carefully took a plate from Lucy and ate quickly, not even bothering to sit down. Lucy sat down on one of the chairs and carefully ate her breakfast. The yolk was still a little runny, and it took a great deal of concentration on her part to not get the liquid on her dress.

Once all had finished their breakfast, the trio made their way through the streets of Brooklyn to All Saints Catholic Church. Lucy braided her hair as the trio walked and made small talk. Bucky broke off from Steve and Lucy at the door to join his family at their usual pew. A girl a few years younger than Lucy looked back at her as if sizing her up.

Steve pulled Lucy into one of the back pews. They sat in peaceable silence throughout the service. While Lucy didn't quite understand all that was going on, the music was beautiful and the church's stained glass windows were stunning. The sermon focused on the importance of giving during the holiday season regardless of how much or little one had. Then finally, it was time for everyone to take communion. Lucy stayed behind in pew, not wanting to intrude on the rite.

After the service, Lucy and Steve stayed behind in hopes of talking to the priest about a wedding.

"Father Seamus," Steve called as they neared the altar. The priest still in his regalia turned around and smiled at Steve.

"Steven, what can I do for you today? And who is this lovely lady with you," Father Seamus exclaimed. He was a jovial older man, in his late 50s or early 60s. His hair was mostly grey, patches of red spotted his roots and beard.

"This is Lucy Bryne, Father, my fiancé. She and I were hoping you'd be willing to marry us," Steve said. He reached back and grabbed Lucy's hand in his entwining their fingers. Father Seamus' face suddenly became serious.

"Never thought I'd see the day that Steven Rogers settled down. She keep you out of fights," Father Seamus asked. Steve grinned, "Encourages me actually. That the most deserving can find happiness in the darkest of times." Father Seamus shook his head.

"When were you hoping to get married? The next pre-marital class starts just after the New Year," Father Seamus said.

"That's why we needed to talk with you, Father. We were hoping to be married before Christmas," Steve said, not breaking eye contact with Father Seamus, "We don't want to wait."

"Well that is quite a large request. Did the Army finally accept you," Father Seamus asked.

"Not I father," Steve said with a nod of his head, "Lucy is a WAVE." The look of surprise on Father Seamus' face was overshadowed by deep contemplation.

"Let me look at our schedule," Father Seamus acquiesced, "Christmas and Advent are a busy time."

Steve beamed and looked back at Lucy, "Thank you Father. I can come by tomorrow to see if there's time." Father Seamus nodded and bid the couple farewell.

Steve and Lucy left the church and headed to Steve's favorite diner for lunch.

Three Days Later

Steve and Lucy decided to walk to the church separately. Bucky had agreed to walk Lucy over to make sure she got there on time and safe. She emerged from Steve's bedroom once he'd started his walk. Bucky couldn't help but stared at her.

"Where did you find that at short notice," he asked. Lucy was dressed in a tea length white dress with long sleeves. She'd added a petticoat to give the skirt additional body and allowed her navy blue low pumps to show. A locket rested at the curve of her throat and pearl studs decorated her ears. Lucy had decided to leave her hair loose for the occasion. She didn't feel like any of her usual hairstyles were really appropriate today.

"Thank your sister. One of her friends just got married. Rebecca asked to borrow her dress for the day. The petticoat and locket are mine. The shoes and earrings were my wedding gifts to myself. You know the old saying: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Lucy said twirling once to make sure the skirt was settled. Bucky nodded, offering his arm to her.

"Let's go. Don't want to keep Steve waiting," Bucky said smiling. Lucy smiled back taking his arm.

The church was eerily empty when the pair arrived. Music wafted into the vestibule and seemed to reverberate all around them. Bucky left Lucy for a moment to let Steve and Father Seamus know the bride had arrived. As he returned to her, the first chords of the Wedding March began.

"Last chance to back out," Bucky whispered to her as they walked toward the entrance to the nave.

"Fat chance of that," Lucy said as they stepped through the doors and down the aisle. She kept her eyes forward locked on Steve. Steve was staring straight back at her, his eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

"Who gives this woman to this man," Father Seamus asked as she and Bucky reached the altar.

"I give myself to this man," Lucy said before Bucky could open his mouth. Steve chuckled. She stepped forward to be equal with Steve. Bucky moved to stand just behind Steve on the opposite side.

"So be it," Father Seamus said, a glint of approval in his eyes. And the service began. It was in Latin as the Sunday service had been. Steve had warned Lucy that he'd specifically requested a Latin service as it seemed more official.

Steve whispered translations of the big ideas to Lucy as the service progressed. It seemed to stretch for ages.

Finally Father Seamus returned to English for the vows. "Let us pray. Heavenly Father we are here on this day to give thanks for the love you have shared with these two individuals. We ask that you help Steven Grant Rogers and Lucy Maud Bryne to always remember when they first met and to remember the strong love that grew between them. To work that love into practical things so that nothing divides them. Please help them find words both kind and loving and hearts, always ready to ask for forgiveness as well as able to forgive. Father, we put this marriage in your hands. Amen.

Father Seamus paused for a second, silence met the pause. "Steven and Lucy, if it is your desire to take the vows which will legally unite you at this time, please respond 'it is'."

"It is," they said in unison.

"Alright then, Steven you first please repeat after me," Father Seamus said. Steve nodded and stood to face Lucy.

"I, Steven Grant Rogers, take you, Lucy Maud Bryne, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness, and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." Steve repeated the words, a smile on his face to Lucy.

"Lucy, repeat after me," Father Seamus said.

"I, Lucy Maud Bryne, take you, Steven Grant Rogers, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness, and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." Lucy smiled through her words, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"Now it is my understanding that you will not be exchanging rings at this time,' Father Seamus said looking between the two. Lucy and Steve nodded in agreement. "Moving on then, "In so much as the two of you have consented together in holy wedlock and have witnessed the same before God and this company, by the authority vested in me by the Catholic Church and the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Steven, you may kiss your bride."

Steve closed the gap between him and Lucy and kissed her with every ounce of his being. Lucy bent backward slightly from the force. Bucky whistled at the pair. Father Seamus reached out and hit Bucky with the bible he held.

Steve and Lucy broke apart and faced Father Seamus again. Father Seamus made the sign of the cross and said " Ite Missa est." The recessional music played and Steve walked with Lucy back down the aisle. As the music ended Steve turned around and waved at Father Seamus who waved back.

"Good Luck, and Peace be with you," He yelled.

"And also with you Father," Steve called back and he and Lucy left the church ready to face the world as husband and wife.

* * *

_Authors Note: Holy that is a monster of a chapter, and not where I was originally intending to go. But you go where the characters lead you right. Also, my apologies to my Catholic Readers. I've never been to a Catholic Wedding and pieced everything together best I could from available resources. Here's hoping the next Chapter comes a little faster. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

**Brooklyn, July 2011**

July Fourth was one of Lucy's least favorite days since arriving in the new millennium. It had become an excuse for people to party and Captain America's birthday. At first she'd thought it had been an honest mistake. Steve Rogers was born in January and the Project Rebirth occurred in June. July had nothing to do with Captain America. Regardless, Captain America's face and shield were plastered on everything from napkins to fireworks. Television stations ran stories about the Howling Commandos and slated Captain America film marathons.

This Fourth of July, like every year, Lucy holed up in her apartment with plenty of beer and worked on the mysterious audio files. Paper now covered every flat surface of her apartment including the walls. She was close, she knew it. She just had to find the right piece of music to use as the key..

Lucy's cell phone began to ring from under a pile of paper. "Shit," she cursed, shoving the papers off the table. She didn't recognize the number, but picked up anyway.

"Stevens," she said.

"Hey boss," an overly enthusiastic voice came out of the speaker. What the hell did Janet want? It was a day off at SHIELD for all non-essential employees, and the Lost Letter Office did not qualify as essential.

"Hello Janet," Lucy said.

"So my husband and I have tickets to the Met on Friday. They're doing a production of Boris Gudonov," Janet said.

"Sounds lovely," Lucy said.

"We just found out that Alexei's mother is sick. We're flying out to Minnesota to see her tomorrow. Would you like our tickets," Janet asked.

Lucy mulled it over. She'd been meaning to get out more. She wasn't certain who she would ask to accompany her. Maybe Natasha? Was the former Russian Spy even in town? Lucy racked her brain for other women in the office that might be willing to go to an opera with her.

"Sure Janet, I'd love them. Do you want me to come get them," Lucy asked.

"No, they're at will call. Just give my name when you get there," Janet said, "thank you! I'll have the PTO request submitted before I leave as well."

"Take all the time you need Janet. Family first remember," Lucy said, "my prayers and safe travels."

"Thanks boss. Enjoy the opera," Janet said, ending the call. Lucy looked down at the phone in her hands. Guess it was time to see who was available for a Girls Night.

Lucy pressed the buttons to open her messenger app and scrolled until she found **Rushman. ** Lucy selected the contact and began to type.

_Me: Hey Nat! Are you in town this weekend? _

_Rushman: Will be back on Thursday. In Lativa. _

_Me: Would you be interested in going to the Opera? I've got two tickets for Friday. _

_Rushman: Maybe? Depends on how this spa day goes. _

Lucy scoffed, spa day. Spies could be utterly ridiculous sometimes.

_Me: Ok, let me check with Hill and 13. You alright being third string. _

_Rushman: Yup, ttyl. _

Sighing, Lucy scrolled to Hill next.

_Me: Hill, Stevens. Are you available on Friday? I have tickets to the Met and no one to go with. _

_Hill: Thank you, but I've got a date with a bird. _

_Me: Ok thank you. I hope you have plenty of suet for the bird. _

_Hill: Haha. Enjoy the Opera. _

Third time's the charm right.

_Me: Carter, are you in town this weekend? _

_13: Yes, why? _

_Me: Janet gave me her tickets to the Met on Friday. You want to go? _

_13: Sure. I haven't been to the opera in a while. Meet at the theater, say around 7pm? _

_Me: See you there. _

Lucy thanked her lucky stars for Carter. She had seriously thought for a second she'd be going solo. Now she just had to find something to wear. Shopping could wait until tomorrow, today was dedicated to avoiding pictures of Steve and cracking the most infuriating code of her career.

Lucy stepped out of the Uber she'd called a block away from Lincoln Center. She was going to have fun and forget about work tonight. Maybe Carter would be up to drinks afterwards or something. She'd hate to waste such a great ensemble.

She'd found a deep green off the shoulder A-line dress that came to mid-calf that reminded her of the dresses she'd admired from the 40s. Her locket and engagement ring hung from a fine gold chain at her neck. The outfit was completed by a simple pair of gold studs, a black patent bag, and black kitten heels.

The one block walk took less time than she'd thought, and she arrived early to meet Carter. Lucy got in line for will-call and amused herself by looking at the center. After almost 2 years in New York, Lucy had never made it over to the center, and she didn't remember it from the 40s. The architecture was interesting.

"Lucy," a voice called from behind her. Lucy turned around to see Sharon in a satiny red one shoulder dress walking toward her. "Sharon," Lucy called back, waving her over.

"Thanks for the invite," Sharon said as she joined Lucy in line, "I needed a night out after the week I've had." Lucy smiled back.

"I can sympathize," she said.

"Which Opera are we seeing," Sharon asked as the line moved forward.

"Boris Gudonov. I don't know anything about it, but how many chances does one have to attend the Opera," Lucy said. Sharon nodded in understanding.

Lucy acquired their tickets and the pair headed inside. Once past the metal detectors and security, the pair headed for the bar.

"Scotch on the rocks, one rock," Lucy told the bartender. She looked back at Sharon to see if she wanted anything.

"Vodka cranberry," Sharon said to her. "And one vodka cranberry," Lucy conveyed to the barman. She paid and passed the reddish pink drink to Sharon. Lucy looked at her drink, the rock was a sad one, more of an ice chip then a cube, and had almost completely disappeared into her Scotch.

The pair proceeded to their seats on the 1st balcony level. Once seated, Lucy skimmed through the playbill trying to learn more about the production while sipping her drink. Sharon sat next to her skimming through a social feed on her phone.

As the theater darkened, Lucy turned her attention to the stage and the orchestra pit. Sharon straightened up next to her, dropping her phone back into her purse.

The quiet tap tap of the conductor's baton silenced the theater. Lucy watched the conductor lift their baton and give the orchestra a few beats of tempo before slicing the baton down to begin the music. A single obeo began to play a mournful tune which was soon joined by the strings.

"You've got to be joking," Lucy whispered to herself. Sharon's eyes remained fixed on the stage. Lucy carefully reached for her clutch and extracted a pen. She opened her playbill and began to scribble notes into the margins. Her eyes focused firmly on the stage while her hand moved furiously.

At intermission, Lucy looked over her notes to make sure she'd gotten everything down.

"You must really like opera," Sharon said looking at the playbill completely covered in handwritten notes.

"Yeah, it's a passion of mine. Though I primarily focus on the German Romantics," Lucy said. Sharon seemed to accept the explanation and took the time to head for the bathroom.

The rest of the Opera passed uneventfully. As they left the theater, Sharon seemed to stop for a moment.

"Would you like to go for a night cap? I know this great little bar around the corner" she asked.

Lucy nodded and the pair headed off into the night.

* * *

**Washington D.C- 1943**

Lucy's return to D.C had gone smoother than she'd anticipated. She told no one that she'd gotten married, not even Dot. The ring Steve had given her to mark their engagement hung with her mother's locket at her throat. Dot had given her the side eye about it, but she wasn't going to explain unless Dot asked her point blank. Lucy was certain Bucky had written Dot after Christmas about everything.

The Trash Bin was busier than usual. An influx of messages had swapped the three women. The different departments had taken to printing their messages on different colours of paper to distinguish and help the ladies prioritize.

It was just another day when Lucy walked in. Her mind was elsewhere, thinking about writing to Steve. She was missing his birthday and felt terrible. All she wanted now was to be back in his arms, but she had a job to do, and she would do it well.

Walking into Room B12, Lucy found Katherine and Sally already at work on blue dispatches. Blue paper indicated the Pacific Theater.

"Good Morning ladies," Lucy said, hanging her coat on the hook. Katherine and Sally nodded in recognition.

"Anywhere you want me to start," Lucy asked, taking a seat at the third table in the room. In the corner by the windows.

"A purple dispatch came in. Can you take a look," Katherine asked. Her focus never left her work. Purple paper indicated a dispatch originating in the US, likely a spy ring. Katherine normally prioritized them over everything else, but if her and Sally were working on blue Naval Command must have needed something specific.

Lucy didn't bother responding, just grabbed the pale purple sheet of paper and started with a frequency count. After what felt like hours Lucy stretched, her upper back and shoulders popped. Something was; off at the dispatch. Lucy looked back over her frequency counts. No letter beyond H was noted, and the message contained both letters and numbers. Normally the codes stuck to one or the other. Occasionally codes used both letters and numbers, but the patterns were more irregular with those. Everything about this dispatch screamed book code to her, but there weren't enough numbers for that.

"Do we have any other purple dispatches," Lucy called to Katherine and Sally. Both women were absorbed in their work.

"I think there may be one or two at at the bottom of the pile," Sally said offhandedly. Lucy moved to the fourth table in the room and began shifting through the pile of dispatches. She discovered two more purple dispatches at the bottom of the pile. She did the frequency counts to be the same as the first. Letters A-G were represented for the first 16 or so pieces of the code. The rest of the digits read like a book code.

As Lucy looked at the three items togethers, she started to wonder. The first 16 spaces of the code were like music. Could it be a book code using music? The first 16 spaces telling the decoder which piece had been used to code? It was genius if she was right, a book code with music. You didn't have to remember which edition of a book to grab. Music was for the most part universal and readily available. The decoder would just need musical scores, and who would look twice at a poor musician or scholar carrying several around.

"Is there a piano in the building," Lucy asked. Katherine and Sally looked up from their work, brows furrowing.

"I think there's one in the mess hall," Sally said quietly.

"I'll be right back, ladies. If anyone comes by while I'm gone, I'm in the mess hall," Lucy said, picking up the purple dispatches and her notes.

Lucy walked quickly, looking over her shoulder the whole way to the mess hall. It was empty and the meal lines were closed. An old upright piano sat along the one wall that held windows. Looking both ways and back at the entrance, Lucy hurried over to it. She opened the keylid and set down on the bench. Lucy placed the first dispatch on the music rest and took a deep breath. Her hands rested on the keys for a long moment. She could do this. She knew her hunch was right. Now she just had to prove it to herself. Tentatively Lucy pressed the keys that corresponded to the letters on her dispatch. It was strange playing music without rhythm, but she did her best.

She played the first dispatch several times through. The note progression was familiar, but she couldn't quite say why.

"Is there a reason you're playing Wagner in the cafeteria at three in the afternoon," a voice asked from behind her. Lucy whipped around,the dispatches floating to the ground, to identify the voice. It was Dot, standing quietly at the door.

"What did you say I was playing," Lucy asked.

"Wagner. Though it sounds strange without the rhythm," Dot said, walking to the piano, "May I?" Lucy nodded. Dot slid onto the bench next to Lucy. She took a breath and looked over the purple paper on the music rest. She began to play the 16 notes. First she plunked them out to make sure she had them. As she restarted the passage Dot added rhythm to the piece. The third time through, Dot added the second hand. The piece sounded so familiar but Lucy couldn't place it exactly. Dot finished the 16 notes and looked over at Lucy.

"See, Wagner. Ride of the Valkyrie if you wanted to be specific," Dot said. Lucy's jaw dropped.

"How did you know that," she asked. Her friend had just broken a dispatch without realizing.

"My father loves Wagner. We have records of most of his operas, and other works. He loves it so much, I learned some of the more famous passages for his birthday a few years ago," Dot explained. Lucy could have kissed Dot in that moment, but refrained.

"Dot, you are a genius! I'll see you at home ok," Lucy said, hugging her friend and rushing back to Room B12.

Katherine and Sally had not moved since she'd left.

"I have a breakthrough," Lucy announced. Sally looked up from the blue dispatch she was still working on.

"Seriously ladies, I think Commander Wegner will need to see this," Lucy said. Katherine looked up, a sour expression on her face.

"What breakthrough could possibly need Commander Wegner's input? Decode. the dispatch and put in the correct pile," Katherine asked. Lucy held up the three purple dispatches.

"It's a musical book code. The first 16 characters are musical notes, denoting the piece being used. The rest of the characters are a standard book code that references bar, beat, and part. I need the score to decode them," she said. Katherine and Sally looked up from their work dumbfounded.

"A musical book code? That is the most absurd thing I think I've ever heard. Why would anyone use such a basic code when there are machines such as Enigma," Katherine asked.

"I'm not sure. But aren't we taught that spies typically use simpler codes? They're easier to remember, easier to teach, and oftentimes people like us get so caught up in the complex codes that we overlook the simpler answers. Honestly it's not that basic. You have to know what music is being referenced from 16 notes, without rhythm or context," Lucy explained, "Now how do we get Commander Wegner in here?"

***  
_January 17th 1943 _

_Dearest Husband, _

_It feels so strange to be writing those words in a letter to you. I'll get used to it soon enough. I am sorry I missed your birthday last week. I wanted to be there more than anything in the world and hope that my gift makes up for my absence. Sleep has been hard to come by lately. Work has been busier that any of us could have imagined and I can't seem to fall asleep without you beside me. Dot sends her love as well. She appreciated the drawing of Bucky you sent me home with. She's framed it and placed it with the other family photos she has. _

_We had a huge breakthrough at work this week. I wish I could tell you more, but national security comes first. Dot joined my team to help with the workload. _

_Are you doing alright? Are you eating enough? How did your enlistment try go? Do you miss me as much as I miss you? _

_I'm sorry this letter is so short, but my life has been consumed by work and I can't talk about it. _

_Missing you something fierce, _

_Love_

_Lucy_

Commander Wegner had approved moving the piano into B12 and reassigning Dot to the team as soon as Lucy showed him the progress they'd made in breaking the purple dispatches. Getting the musical scores needed to decode messages was the stumbling point. At first, they'd try to buy the scores from a shop in the district. However, german opera scores proved hard to come by. There hadn't been much demand since the war started. Finally, Dot had suggested borrowing the National Symphony's copies. Commander Wegner had been skeptical about the request, but Naval Command approved it without comment. The Symphony too had been more than willing to hand over their Wagner catalogue for the Navy's use.

Lucy and Dot had been working around the clock to get all the purple dispatches with the musical code decrypted. They had yet to perfect the process, and were still unsure how the measure counting worked. Did it start where the musical indicator did? How did one include a code? What is the piece referenced didn't have any words?

They worked tirelessly, much to the ire of Katherine. She was furious that her office had become some kind of music hall and that one of her girls had been pulled off of the general decryption work.

Lucy sat at her table bent over a copy of the score for Die Walkyrie trying to make sense of the book code. The open pages were covered in pencil marks. She was close, she knew it. Looking down at her scratch sheet, Lucy tried to make sense of the fragments she'd decoded. It was a scattering of letters and sounds. She flipped back through the pages and referenced the dispatch one more time. She scribbled some more notes. Every set of numbers had a word or sound associated with it. Lucy rewrote the sentence again trying to make words out of the jumble. Bestätigt, Doktor in der Nähe des Soldatentests. Bestellungen anfordern appeared as she wrote. German was a good sign, and made sense since she was working with german opera. Normally at this point, she would sort the original dispatch and decoded message into the appropriate pile then pick up a new dispatch to work on. A different group was responsible for translating the messages and yet another group interpreted the messages. This set of dispatches were already far outside the ordinary, so a small breach of protocol was warranted. Lucy underlined the sentence again and left Rm B12. She headed for Commander Wegner's office in the next building. He too was still at work even though it was pitch black outside. The glow of his office lamp illuminated the outline of the door.

Lucy knocked lightly on the door. "Come in," the Commander called.

"I've got what I think is the first dispatch sir," Lucy said, handing over the purple paper and her scratch paper. The older man looked over the page. His brow furrowed and concern flashed in his eyes.

"Thank you very much Ms. Bryne. Do you know when we can expect the other two items to be decoded," he asked. Lucy thought hard, the first one had taken about a week. Hopefully each one would take less time than the one before.

"Maybe a few days. It really depends on how long Dot and I take to identify the next piece of music," Lucy said.

"Can you get it done in two days," he asked. Lucy frowned deeply.

"Only if you authorize a whole lot of overtime sir," Lucy said.

"Done. You can use my phone to call Ms. Williams. We need those other two dispatches decoded as soon as possible," Commander Wegner said.

"Understood sir," Lucy said, saluting her superior officer.

"At ease, sailor," he said with a roll of his eyes. Wegner turned his desk phone around to face Lucy. Dorothy was a bit irritated about being called in so late, but was excited that Lucy had made a breakthrough.

Lucy quickly left Commander Wegner's office and made it back to RM B12 safely. She picked up the second dispatch, headed to the piano and got to work.

It took Lucy and Daisy another three days to decode the remaining two messages. They hadn't heard back about what the messages said, but that wasn't their job. Without another purple message to work on, the two took a much-needed break and crashed. They didn't leave their apartment for several days after they'd handed in the last message.

When it came time to return to Room B12, Lucy dreaded the piles of other dispatches. She wanted another purple dispatch to entertain her, challenge her, and make the time fly.

She got to the room early, with Dot right behind her. They were doing their best to avoid Katherine now. The older woman had not appreciated their work on the purple dispatches or the need for the piano. Sally had taken everything in stride, saying it was better to have disjointed music than her own sad attempts at song. Lucy stopped short in the room's entrance. Unfamiliar people were already in the room. One was an older man in khaki and the other was a woman also in khaki, her red locks pulled into careful victory rolls.

"Who are you, and why are you in this room" Lucy asked defensively, "only assigned staff can be in here."

The pair turned around to face Lucy. "Sorry Miss, we have every right to be here," the man said. He was older than Lucy initially expected, in his 50s at least. He held his garrison hat in both hands. A colonel's insignia was visible on his shoulders and hat. The woman was likely Lucy and Dot's age, maybe a few years older.

"Sorry sir," Dot said from behind Lucy, "Commander Wegner is very strict about only having the people assigned in these rooms.

"Commander Wegner and I are old friends ma'am. He's the reason we're here. I'm Colonel Phillips, and this is Agent Carter. We represent the Army's Strategic Scientific Reserve," Colonel Phillips said.

"Never heard of you sorry," Lucy said, crossing her arms over her chest, "now are you going to leave, or are we going to have to help you leave."

Agent Carter chuckled, "We assure you that we are here on Army business, specially looking for the person or persons responsible for decoding the purple dispatches. Commander Wegner said we would find them here."

"Can we see some id," Dot asked, moving to stand next to Lucy. The pair held out identification cards to the women. Lucy took Colonel Phillip's and Dot took Agent Carter's. They examined the cards carefully. The paper was right, the pictures matched. Everything was legit.

"Apologies Colonel. Please understand, we had to be sure," Lucy said handing his id back.

"We understand ma'am. Now, who should I speak to about the purple dispatches," Colonel Phillips asked.

"That would be us,sir. Lieutenants Williams and Bryne," Dot said.

Colonel Phillips was taken aback causing Agent Carter to chuckle. The pair of women stood there waiting as he composed himself.

"Well then, I have the distinct displeasure of letting you know that effective immediately you are being transferred to the Strategic Scientific Reserve. You are to report to Brooklyn Antiques at 0700 in three days. I sincerely hope that is enough time for you to get your affairs in order," Colonel Phillips said.

"Wait what," Lucy said, taking a step back. Dot looked at her friend, also shocked.

"I think what Colonel Phillip's meant is: Welcome to the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Your security clearance has been upgraded and we look forward to explaining more about the situation in a few days. You'll be expected at Brooklyn Antiques at 0700 on Thursday. Let the shop owner know you're looking for a Napoleonic Snuff Box. If you need lodging we can arrange something," Agent Carter said.

Dot and Lucy shared a look, then turned to Colonel Phillips and Agent Carter.

"We'll be ready for duty in three days," Lucy said. The pair saluted the Colonel and smiled at Agent Carter, before turning to race out the door.

***  
Back at their apartment, Dot began to pack, careening around the room like a whirling dervish. They'd alerted the leasing office that they'd been transferred without much notice. Luckily the administrator had been understanding and waived the standard two months rent for breaking the lease. With the expansion of the various DC-based government jobs, the apartment would likely be filled in a matter of hours.

Lucy stood waiting in the line for the payphone. She knew that Bucky and Steve didn't have a phone in their apartment, but maybe she could try Bucky or Steve's workplaces. Maybe the Barnes' had a phone and could get a hold of Bucky.

When the girl using the phone finished, Lucy swiftly took her place, dropped two dollars into the phone and waited to be connected to the operator.

_Operator, how may I direct your call. _

_Yes, would you please connect me to 446 Kent Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249? _

_That is a long distance call at a rate of 25¢ a minute. _

_That's fine_

_One moment please _

The line buzzed and crackled in Lucy's ear as the connections were made. Faint ringing began in her ear. Lucy counted four rings before the phone was picked up.

_Barnes residence _, a light female voice said

_Hello! It's Lucy Rogers. We met over Christmas. I was wondering if Bucky or Steve was around. There is an urgent matter I need to talk about with them. _

_Oh hello Lucy. It's Ruth Barnes. I think Bucky is around today. Give me one second. _ Lucy heard the thunk of the receiver and Ruth call for Bucky on the other end. There were heavy footfalls and someone picked up the phone.

_Lucy, to what do I owe the pleasure? _Bucky was louder than he needed to be, as if he wasn't as used to the phone as his mother.

_Dot and I are being transferred to Brooklyn in the next few days and we were wondering… _

_Of course you two can sleep on our sofa while you find a place _

_Actually, i was wondering if we could share the apartment. We can pay rent, and it might make things easier for Steve _

_Well get here first and we'll sort it out. I doubt the punk will throw his wife out on the street _

_Thanks Bucky. We'll be on our doorstep in a couple of days. _ Lucy started to hang up before having an idea.

_Bucky…. _

_Yes Lucy….. _

_Don't tell Steve. I want to see his face when we show up. _

_Mums the word. See you in a few days…_

Two days later, Dot and Lucy stepped off the train from Washington D.C. to New York.

"Feel's just like it did six months ago doesn't it," Dot said as they walked from the train platform down to the subway tunnels.

"Feels like a lifetime ago," Lucy replied. The pair waited patiently first in line at the subway ticket counter then on the platform for their train. Lucy felt as though her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Bucky had promised to not tell Steve they were coming, but she couldn't stop fretting about Steve's reaction. Her showing up on the doorstep unannounced was one thing. Showing up with her friend in tow was something else entirely. She hoped with every fiber of her being that he would still be happy and welcoming.

The subway ride was absolute torture. The cars were absolutely packed with people, and the train Lucy and Dot were on stopped in one of the tunnels for an extended amount of time. None of it helped Lucy's nerves. Dot attempted to calm her down during the stop, but to no avail. Lucy opted instead to turn herself in the small seat to look out small windows into the pitch black.

When the pair finally exited the subway near Steve and Bucky's apartment in Brooklyn the sun had set. They walked the few blocks to the apartment in silence.

"Breathe Lucy," Dot said, "Steve will be so excited to see you." Lucy gave a small nod, not meeting her friend's eyes.

Finally, they arrived at the door to Steve and Bucky's apartment. Lucy could just faintly hear the radio on the other side.

"Are they home," Dot asked quietly. Lucy nodded, reaching up to knockly on the door. The pair listened to the murmur of voices and creaking of floor boards. The door opened slightly, the security chain still attached.

"Hello," Steve asked, peering around the door.

"Hi sweetheart. Is it too late to say Happy Birthday," Lucy asked? Steve seemed to stop breathing for a moment.

"Can we come to Steve? It's cold out here," Dot said. Her words seemed to snap Steve into action. He quickly undid the chain and opened the door wide for the women. Dot and Lucy stepped into the apartment and placed their suitcases by the door. The apartment was warm, and the smell of food caused their stomachs to grumble. Bucky was standing by the kitchen counter spooning what appeared to be beans and franks into his mouth. He nodded at the ladies, motioning with his spoon for the two to have a seat. Dot dropped onto the small sofa with a sigh of relief. Lucy stood quietly waiting for Steve to close and lock the door.

She was surprised when a pair of thin arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

"Hello wife, to what do we owe this surprise," Steve asked. His voice was lower and huskier than Lucy could remember hearing. She shivered in his arms.

"Dot and I were transferred to Brooklyn. We figured that you wouldn't mind if we stayed here until we found our own place," Lucy said. Steve's arms tightened around her waist.

"You will stay here. We can figure out the sleeping arrangements," Steve said, placing a small kiss on Lucy's shoulder. Lucy twisted in Steve's arms, until they faced each other and quickly leaned down to capture Steve's lips in a sweet kiss.

Dot looked at the pair, confused at what she was seeing. Lucy had said she and Steve were close, but this was beyond what she expected. Bucky settled onto the sofa next to her.

"Lovebirds…" he said shielding his eyes from Steve and Lucy. Dot chuckled.

"Something big must have happened while she was here for Christmas, Dot said looking over at Bucky. Bucky nodded, "That may be the understatement of the century." Dot furrowed her brow in greater confusion. She looked back at Lucy and Steve, still kissing, then over at Bucky clearing her throat. Lucy and Steve broke apart, deep blush apartment on both their cheeks.

"Will someone please explain what's going on? While I am happy to have a roof over my head for the foreseeable future, I'd really appreciate knowing that kind of living situation I'm getting into," Dot said.

Steve tried to speak. His jaw moved but no sound seemed to come out. His arms fell from around Lucy like limp noodles. Lucy smiled softly at her friend and sat on one of the cane chairs facing Dot.

"Steve and I…. We got married during my Christmas visit," Lucy said looking her friend straight in the eye.

"You did what," Dot yelled.

* * *

A/N: Finally done with another chapter. I hope everyone enjoys it.

Next chapter will take place solely in the 1940s. Here's hoping it doesn't take as long to write.


	7. Chapter 7

**Brooklyn, February 1943 **

Dot and Lucy stood outside Brooklyn Antiques. They were nervous about what awaited them inside. Hopefully, they would continue their work on the music cipher or something equally as interesting.

"Are you ready," Lucy asked. Dot looked straight ahead. She had not said a word to Lucy since the previous night, incredibly upset about the secrets that had been kept from her. Dot opened the door and the pair of codebreakers stepped through the door. The shop was more organized than Lucy had expected. All the items neatly on display. An older woman with gray hair stood behind the counter. Her green dress was several years out of fashion as were the finger waves in her hair.

"Lovely weather this morning," she said. Her voice was grave with a hint of a British accent.

"Yes, it is. We were looking for a Napoleonic snuff box," Dot said, "my father's birthday is coming up, and he would love one for his collection." The woman relaxed, her shoulders rounding and her face softening.

"A Napoleonic snuff box ya say. I believe we have several specimens in the backroom you might be interested in," the woman said looking around the shop. It was empty except for the three women. An audible click echoed through the room and the back wall of the shop slid open.

"Take the elevator down to sub-level 3. Agent Carter is waiting for you there. Once you ladies are settled in, come back up and I'll explain how to get in the back way. Can have the Huns seeing you come in and out of the shop every day," the woman said.

Dot and Lucy nodded and walked into the elevator. Lucy hit the 3 button and released a breath as the door closed.

"Can we talk about this," Lucy asked Dot as the elevator moved at a snail's pace.

"About what? About my best friend, roommate, and collaborator lying to me," Dot asked harshly.

"I didn't lie to you Dot," Lucy said exasperated.

"Not telling me is a lie by omission Lucy," Dot said.

The door to the elevator slid open on S-3. The pair stepped out onto a small landing that led to the tight grey corridor. The corridor was lined with doors. Each door was of the style with a large frosted glass window. Something also seemed to be written on each in large black block letters.

Dot and Lucy made their way slowly down the hallway looking for a door that properly described their role. They passed what felt like a hundred doors with labels like Engineering, Electrical, and Medical Director. Eventually, which in reality was only the fifth door down, they found a door labeled Enigma. The pair could just make out a human shape through the window. Dot reached down for the knob. She turned it and opened the door slowly.

Sure enough, Agent Carter was waiting for them at a wooden table in the middle of the room. A gramophone was on its own table in one corner and an upright piano lined the wall opposite the door.

"Good Morning Ladies," Agent Carter said smiling, "Shall we just crack on with it?" Lucy and Dot nodded, each taking a seat at the table.

"First, I'd like to thank you for being prompt today. There's a lot to do, and I'm needed back in New Jersey as soon as possible. Welcome to the Strategic Scientific Reserve." Agent Carter took a breath allowing the codebreakers to speak. Neither Dot nor Lucy said a word.

"The Strategic Scientific Reserve, or SSR, is a multinational effort to get us ahead of the Nazi scientists and hopefully shorten the length of this terrible conflict. Our primary focus is on HYDRA, the Nazi's' deep science division headed by one Johann Schmidt. We believe the dispatches you two decoded were from HYDRA agents. We requested you two be transferred to us in the hopes you'd be able to break more of the codes and give us some insight into what Schmidt is planning." Agent Carter explained.

"So we're working for a top-secret organization that is working to take down a part of the Nazi war machine," Dot asked. Agent Carter nodded. "You'll be compensated of course. We determined that a 50% pay raise over your Navy pay was more than sufficient. We did also try to promote you both, however, the Navy refused that request. In return, you will be on call 24/7 and have a three day turn around on any codes that arrive in this office."

Dot and Lucy paled. The fastest they'd managed to decode one of the dispatches so far was three days and that was after having determined the key.

"Thank you, Agent Carter. We'll do our best," Dot said.

"Oh please, call me Peggy. Us women in service have to stick together. Now, I believe Mrs. McCall has some things to discuss with you ladies in the shop. I'll see you ladies later," Peggy said standing up and heading for the door. "Please make sure she has your phone number and approximate address. Call for me if you need anything."

Peggy left the pair in silence staring at each other. Dot got up to examine the gramophone and piano. The upright was a little beat up and slightly out of tune, but it would serve its purpose. Lucy just sat at the table examining her fingernails.

"Before we go upstairs, can we talk this out," she asked quietly. Dot whirled around to glare at her friend.

"Sure we can talk. You can start with an explanation regarding why you would keep a marriage from me," Dot sneered. Lucy sat back in her chair trying to put physical distance between her and Dot.

"I was worried that if anyone knew I'd lose my job," Lucy said, "You saw how the Commander treated anyone who got married. They were pressured to quit immediately to follow their husband and keep house. I didn't want that to happen. I love my job, and if I was forced to quit…."

Dot's face softened, "Lu, I would never have put your job in danger. I'm just hurt you kept something that big from me. Hell, I'm upset with Bucky for not telling me. There are so many secrets that we're having to keep, I don't want to keep any more than absolutely necessary."

"I understand, Dot. It kills me every day that I can't tell Steve what I do, but I did what I thought I had to keep my job and the love of my life," Lucy said, tears welling in her eyes. Dot enveloped her friend in a hug.

"I can't forgive you, not yet anyway, but you are still my best friend," Dot said in Lucy's ear, "Now let's get upstairs to talk with Mrs. McCall."

Lucy straightened up, wiping the tears from her eyes. Dot pulled a small compact from her purse and passed it to Lucy. With a small smile, Lucy extracted the small puff and applied a light dusting of powder to her under eyes and nose. Examining herself in the mirror, Lucy was thankful for the waterproof mascara Dot had convinced her to splurge on. The black had not budged from her eyelashes.

Upstairs, Mrs. McCall explained the general procedures for the area. There was an entrance off the alleyway for their use and a small canteen on the second level. In addition, they provided the phone number for Steve and Bucky's apartment and the address for contact.

Returning to their office, Dot and Lucy set about organizing the space and making it theirs.

"Where should we put all the scores," Dot asked, her arms full of books.

"On top of the piano," Lucy suggested. The small bookshelf they'd been furnished with, was barely big enough to hold the records they'd been furnished.

"Sure, but I'm arranging them by composer," Dot said over her shoulder. Lucy shook her head and went back to arranging the records.

"Lucy," Dot asked, not looking up from her work.

"Yeah Dot," Lucy asked, looking over her shoulder at her blonde friend.

"Promise me, you'll never lie to me again," Dot said, "about anything."

"I promise Dot," Lucy replied.

* * *

It took a few days for their first dispatch to arrive. Dot was cooking dinner when the phone rang. Lucy picked up the phone, "Rogers's residence, how may I help you?"  
_May I speak to Lucy please? _

_Speaking. _

_Lucy, its Agent Carter. A dispatch was just sent over, we need you to decode it. _

_Yes ma'am. Dot and I will be over as soon as possible._

Lucy hung up and looked at Dot. "Duty Calls."

Dot sighed, turning off the stove and looking for her shoes.

"What's cooking ladies? It smells delicious," Bucky called as he and Steve walked through the door.

"Where are you going," Steve asked as the girls moved towards the door.

"Work called. There's stew on the stove for you. Don't wait up," Dot said, throwing on her coat. Lucy stopped to give Steve a hug and kiss before chasing Dot out the door.

Bucky and Steve stood dumbstruck as the door slammed closed by Lucy. "Do you ever wonder what they do for a living," Bucky asked. He'd beelined for the stove and was examining the stew. Steve shook his head.

"As long as Lucy's happy, it doesn't bother me," Steve said. Bucky lifted the spoon to his mouth and tasted the stew. "Mmmmm, this is almost as good as mom makes," he said, turning to find a bowl.

Dot and Lucy made their way as quickly as possible to Brooklyn Antiques... They entered through the alleyway as instructed and made their way to the small office. A dispatch was waiting as promised, and the pair set to work decoding it.

After several hours of trying to identify the musical key, the pair broke for coffee and a trip to the bathroom.

Lucy sat in the canteen, quietly sipping her coffee and people watching. Dot had gone back to the office a few minutes earlier. She wanted to try a different composer's work, and see if she could identify the 16 bars. Dozens of men in white coats passed without so much as glancing her way. One of whom she could have sworn was the infamous Howard Stark.

"May I sit with you," a voice asked from behind her.

"Please," Lucy said motioning to the empty seats around her. An older man in a white coat sat down in the chair opposite her.

"I'm Dr. Erskine," the man said.

"Lucy Bryne. It's nice to make your acquaintance," she replied, offering her hand to shake. The doctor took it.

"Are you new to the SSR," he asked. Lucy nodded.

"My partner and I started just a few days ago," she said.

"And can I ask where you two are from," he asked.

"Originally Virginia, currently Brooklyn," Lucy said, "You?"

"Germany, then Queens," Dr. Erskine said. Lucy's brow furrowed.

"Is my background a problem, Ms. Bryne," he asked. She shook her head.

"I was just thinking about an assignment from a few weeks ago," she said, "speaking of which, I really should get back. I've got a deadline." Lucy stood from the table and smoothed her skirt.

"It was lovely to meet you Dr. Erskine. I hope we get to talk soon," Lucy said.

"Of course," Dr. Erskine agreed. Lucy turned and hurried back to the office, where Dot was combing through the records for the opera she thought might be the key.

"Lu, I had the craziest idea during our break," Dot said, she fingers crawling over the record spines.

"Do tell," Lucy said, sitting at the piano. Her fingers found the keys and began plunking out the 16 notes of the dispatch.

"We theorized with the last set of messages that the writer was using Wagner's work exclusively right," Dot said.

"Uh huh," Lucy acknowledged, playing the 16 notes on a loop.

"What if the composer is an indicator? A way for the receiver to triage the messages. Ensure they get to the right recipients," Dot suggested, finding the record she wanted.

"So Wagner would indicate messages for whom," Lucy asked.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps a leader in the organization. Maybe even Schmidt himself," Dot said.

"Without the Wagner lead, looking for a message key would be a needle in a haystack. There are so many composters, and thousands of Operas they could pull from," Lucy said. She stopped playing and turned to Lucy at the gramophone.

"Not exactly. HYDRA, even if it's run by Schmidt, is still part of Hitler's German. So it would stand to reason we'd be looking at German composers," Dot said. She carefully removed the record from its sleeve and placed it on the gramophone.

"That's still hundreds of works," Lucy said in despair. Even with all the time in the world, there were too many pieces to go through for a short message.

"Right, but think of it this way. There are only so many composers, and we know that Wagner goes to one of them. A lot of the composers didn't compose for the voice, or if they did, few of the pieces are of the length needed to make a successful code.

A piece unfamiliar to Lucy began to play. It was dark, brooding. The pair sat in silence until a male voice entered.

"Stop the record," Lucy said, pitching forward. She hummed the lines they'd heard, then looked at the 16 notes on the piano.

"How," she asked.

"Lucky guess," Dot said shrugging, "It's not an opera. It's an oratorio. Schumann's Scenes from Goethe's Faust. Probably meant for a lead scientist."

"Faust, I've heard of that before," Lucy said. She thought back to college and the classes she'd taken. She could have sworn some mention of the name had been made. Or at least Goethe had been mentioned.

"It's considered a masterpiece, and one of the greatest pieces of German literature. Its about a scholar who sells his soul to the Devil," Dot explained. Lucy's eyes widened. It had been mentioned in her literature classes, but only in passing.

"Dot, you are a genius," Lucy said, jumping up to hug her friend. The two jumped a little as they celebrated the breakthrough.

"Now let's crack some ciphers," Dot said. Lucy returned to the piano in search of the score. Dot meanwhile, returned the needle to record, enveloping the room in brooding music.

Now the real work had started.

* * *

A/N: I thought this wouldn't take so long to write, but it did. Have no fear, the next chapter is already written. I just need to edit/polish it. Also a warning- the rating will be going up with the next chapter. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this installment, and I look forward to you reading the next installments.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Whew, I've finally finished this beast of a chapter. I wanted to say two things before ya'll start reading. 1) I cannot take credit for every word in this chapter. Sections of dialogue were pulled from Captian American: The First Avenger. So credit goes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. 2) There is smut at the end of this chapter. It's my first time actually writing smut, so please don't rip me apart for it.

Regardless, I hope ya'll enjoy!

* * *

**Brooklyn April 1943**

Steve was sitting in his underwear in a waiting room filled with men similarly dressed as an army doctor called out people's names. He was enthralled in a news story about the Coast Guard hunting U-boats off the Virginia Coast. He hoped Lucy's father was doing ok. It had been weeks since Lucy had heard from him, which while not unusual was not helping her stress levels.

"Boy, a lot of guys getting killed out there," the man next to him said, "kind of makes you think twice about enlisting, huh?"

"Rogers, Steven," the doctor called out.

"Nope," Steve said, getting in line for the podium.

"Rogers," the doctor said, "What did your father die of?"

"Mustard gas," Steve said quickly, "he was in the 107th infantry. I was hoping to be assigned there."

"Your mother," the doctor said, thoroughly unfazed by Steve's remark.

"She was a nurse, TB ward. Got hit, couldn't shake it," Steve answered.

The doctor took a long look at the papers in front of him, a frown on his face.

"Sorry son," he said.

"Look, just give me a chance," Steve begged.

"You'd be ineligible on your asthma alone," the doctor said.

"Is there anything you can do," Steve asked a feeling of failure and dread settling into his stomach.

"I'm doing it. I'm saving your life," the doctor said stamping Steve's enlistment form with the dreaded 4F marking.

Steve nodded resigned to his fate, leaving the room to get dressed and leave. Steve didn't want to go back to the empty apartment. Lucy was working, a call had come in two days ago and she hadn't been home since. Dot had come back once to grab changes of clothes for both her and Lucy. He wasn't sure how to contact her while she was working if he even could. Bucky was out spending time with his family. He'd just gotten back from training and was waiting to receive orders. Steve had the day off of his newspaper route but could bare being left alone with his thoughts. He'd just stew on his enlistment attempts and how he could fudge his forms enough to get in Instead, Steve wandered the streets of Brooklyn. His feet took him to a movie theater. He didn't care about what it was showing, but maybe the film would take his mind off everything.

The new reels began to play. Everyone in the theater sat in rapt attention as the film played. As news turned to enlistment and America's war effort, Steve felt a pang in his chest. All he wanted was to serve his country like any other man. He would find a way, even if he had to try a dozen times. He'd keep trying until the army let him in or the war ended.

"Who cares," someone in front of him said, distributing the quiet theater, "play the movie already." Several other audience members looked for the source of the voice, trying to shame the person into silence.

"Hey, you wanna show some respect," Steve whispered. The person went quiet. One of the women near Steve gave him a small smile through her tears.

"Let's go, get on with it," the person said again, "hey, just start the cartoons." More people in the theater were trying to find the offending person now.

Steve breathed in deep, mustering his courage. He knew exactly where this was going to go.

"Hey, wanna shut up," Steve snapped. One of the large men sitting in front of Steve stood up slowly and turned around to glare at Steve.

"Why don't we take this outside," he said cracking his knuckles. Steve stood from his seat and headed for the emergency exit.

As they entered the alleyway, the man slugged Steve. Steve toppled back into the trash cans but scrambled back to his feet quickly. The man was ready though, as soon as Steve stood up, another punch socked him in the jaw. As he stood this time, Steve grabbed one of the trash can lids and held it in front of himself as a shield. The man ripped the lid from him and punched him again. The impact sent Steve into the fence that lined the back of the alley. He breathed heavily and blinked his right eye. Steve held his fists out in the fighting stance Bucky had taught him.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you," the man asked.

"I could do this all day," Steve remarked, throwing a haymaker at the man. The man blocked the haymaker easily and countered with another punch to Steve's face. Steve crumbled to the ground.

"Hey," a voice called, "Pick on someone your own size." Steve listened as the man threw another punch only to be decked himself and sent running. He pulled himself up to standing to see Bucky in his dress greens in the alley where the man had once stood.

"Sometimes I think you like getting punched," Bucky said.

"I had him on the ropes," Steve replied. Bucky reached down and picked up an off white piece of paper from the ground.

"How many times is this," he asked, opening the paper. "Oh, you're from Paramus now? You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form, but seriously Jersey?"

Steve gave Bucky another full look. There was something different about Bucky today. "You get your orders?"

"107th, Sergeant James Barnes shipping out for England first thing tomorrow," Bucky said, pride evident.

"I should be going," Steve said. Bucky's face dropped, but he quickly covered it with a smile.

"Come on man. It's my last night. Gotta get you cleaned up," Bucky said.

"Why, where are we going," Steve asked.

"The future," Bucky said, shoving a folded paper into Steve's stomach. An advertisement for the World Exposition of Tomorrow stared back at him.

**  
In their office under Brooklyn Antiques, Dot and Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. They'd cracked another Hydra dispatch and were frantically trying to decode the message. They'd exhausted themselves and the coffee pot in their efforts. Lucy's hair was a mess, her milkmaid braid barely holding together. The pins that normally held her hair on the verge of falling out. The circles under her eyes were starting to look more like bruises than dark circles. The office wasn't in any better shape than Lucy's hair. Paper covered every inch of table space, and sheets had started to cover the floor as well.

Dot was in slightly better shape. She'd taken a break hours ago to fix her hair and fetch the pair fresh clothing.

"Maybe we should take a break, Luc? Fresh air and sunshine might help," Dot said. Lucy ignored her friend and continued to flip through the score for Die Walküre for the first measure of the message. The message seemed to be similar to the first. The Ride motif appeared in the 16 note identifier, but the message wasn't using the same section of the score.

"I'll go outside when we've decoded this," Lucy mumbled.

At this moment, Peggy appeared in the door. "Good Afternoon Ladies. How is the decryption coming?

Lucy didn't look up from the papers in front of her.

"We think we have the piece identified, and we've been trying to decrypt the message itself, but the code is more complex than some of the earlier messages. So it's taking longer than expected," Dot said. Lucy didn't look up from the score laid out in front of her.

Peggy sighed. "How long do you think you'll need to get a decrypted message to our translator?"

"Based on how long the last few dispatches have taken, at least another couple of days," Dot explained. Lucy flinched. That was too long. The deal was a three day turn around, and they'd been struggling to abide by it. Peggy nodded in understanding.

"In that case, I am ordering you to take a break. Go home, get some rest, and come back Monday with fresh eyes and minds," Peggy said. Lucy looked up from the score, "what?" Her pencil hovered over her scratch paper, ready to make another mark.

"You heard me, lieutenant. Three days leave, and then come back with a fresh perspective," Peggy said. Dot and Lucy saluted Peggy. They set about cleaning the room up, though Lucy moved incredibly sluggishly. Dot knew that she was on the verge of collapse. With all the paper off the floor, Dot dragged Lucy home to rest.

They arrived back at the apartment around noon. Bucky and Steve were nowhere to be seen. Both Dot and Lucy were grateful for it, as they collapsed into their beds fully clothed.

Lucy awoke sometime later to the sound of Bucky and Steve returning home.

"Oh look, the girls are home," Bucky said. Lucy groaned and rolled over away from the noise. She felt hungover, but she hadn't had anything to drink in weeks.

"Lucy, Dot, get up. We're going to see the future," Bucky called.

Dot groaned but sat up in bed. "Are you sure we can't sleep tonight? This is the first bit of shuteye I've had in days."

"It's my last day before shipping out. You better be ready to dance the night away," Bucky said. Dot sat up in bed as if she'd been shocked by something.

"You got your orders," She asked. Bucky nodded, "I ship out tomorrow morning."

Steve meanwhile had gone over to where Lucy lay sprawled in their bed. He smiled down at her. She'd fallen asleep still in her clothes, makeup, and hairstyle. Tendrils of hair were fanned out on her pillow. She was hugging Steve's pillow to her, her nose buried in the top of it.

"Sweetheart, wakeup," Steve said quietly. His hand skimmed her face, moving hair from her face.

"Bucky has a fun night planned for us," he said. Lucy grumbled in her sleep and rolled over. Steve snickered quietly. He reached out and shook Lucy softly.

"I want to sleep," she moaned.

"Come on Doll," Bucky said loudly as he bounded into the room. "There's much to do and not a lot of time to do it."

Lucy reluctantly opened her eyes to see Bucky and Steve leaning over her. "Go get yourself all dolled up. Steven and I are taking you out to the World Expo and dancing afterward."

"Can one of you make coffee," Lucy asked. Steve nodded, "Of course sweetheart."

The men busied themselves in the kitchen as the girls took turns in the bathroom. Lucy took a quick bath rinsing the last few days off. As she dried off, Dot took her turn in the bath. Lucy focused on the small cracked mirror and applied a small amount of power to her hair.

"You know, if you keep working like you are, you'll work into an early grave," Dot said. Lucy looked over her face in the mirror. The bags under her eyes were more pronounced and her eyes were noticeably red.

"I know Dot, but I won't be working like this forever," Lucy said. She reached up to the small shelf next to the mirror and grabbed her foundation compact.

"Do you think after the war, you'll settle down with Steve," Dot asked. Lucy smiled to herself thinking of the future with Steve. Every time she imagined it, she was three children in a small house somewhere close to the water. Steve would have a small studio in the attic to work on his art and Lucy would have a small garden. All three children would take after Steve, with their dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. There were times Lucy imagined the scene as her going off to work for the day, Steve waving from the front stoop as he prepared the children for the walk to school.

"We'll settle down, there's no question of that. I just don't know what it will look like," Lucy said, "Do you ever think about settling down?"

Dot blushes deeply as she scrubbed her arms and legs with the small soap bar. "I do," she said.

"With Bucky," Lucy probed. Dot shook her head.

"Bucky and I aren't mutually exclusive. We're just enjoying our time together," Dot said. Lucy replaced the foundation power on the shelf and grabbed the mascara cake. She carefully applied the mascara to her lashes as Dot finished in the bath.

Lucy opened the bathroom door a crack and looked out. Bucky and Steve were nowhere to be seen. With her towel secured, Lucy made a dash for her and Steve's room. Safely inside, Lucy examined her options for a night out at the Stark Expo. It was just starting to warm up, and Bucky said there would be dancing after the Expo. So something with shorter sleeves and a mid-weight fabric would be ideal. Lucy ended up selecting one of her nicest dresses, a navy blue velvet A-line dress. It had half sleeves and fell just below her knees. The bodice had several buttons mimicking a shirt collar and created a deep v that accentuated her décolletage. Laying the dress across the bed, Lucy pulled her corselette from the small dresser. She hated the restrictive undergarment, but it made the dress look amazing on her. There were old fashioned lacings on both sides of the garment and limited elastic. Lucy loosened the lacings just enough to wiggle into the contraption.

Once she'd situated the undergarment, she pulled the dress on over her head. She adjusted the dress and smoothed the front down. Going back to the closet, Lucy picked out a pair of blue heels with mesh toes. They'd be perfect for a night of walking and dancing. Lucy looked at her underwear drawer and debated putting on pantyhose or drawing a hose line on the backs of her legs. Ultimately she decided against it. Social norms be damned, no one was going to care if she was wearing hose or not.

With the outfit done, Lucy began to ponder what to do with her hair. She didn't want to bother with victory rolls today and she didn't want to put her hair down. She could do her usual braids, but it was a special night. She settled on a puffy bun situation. She started by pinning the front portions of her hair back on her head and fluffing them. She then braided the rest of her hair into and coiled it into a bun at the back of her head. She finished off the look by fluffing the braided bun out to cover the pins. She finished by spraying the whole style with hair spray. As a final touch, Lucy secured her locket around her neck and her ring on her finger.

Other than a smattering of lipstick, Lucy was ready. When she exited the room, Bucky and Steve had returned to the couch, ready to go. Bucky was still in his uniform, his hat casually hanging on his knee. Steve hadn't changed much of his clothing. He'd changed his tie and had a compress on his nose. Four steaming cups sat on the small coffee table.

"What was it this time," Lucy asked, moving to sit by Steve. She reached down with her left hand to grab a cup. The coffee inside was black and perfect. Lucy took a sip savoring the warm acidic liquid.

"A guy was disrespecting the troops at the movie theater," Steve said, his eyes fixed on the floor.

"Sweetheart, look at me," Lucy said softly. Steve's eyes flicked to meet hers. "I am proud of you for standing up for the troops and all the women who were in that theater with loved ones abroad." She reached over to gently peel the compress away from Steve's face. His nose was a little swollen and you could just make out the beginnings of a bruise along his jaw. She craned over to kiss his nose lightly.

Bucky choked and turned away from the scene of affection. Steve sighed relaxing at the contact.

"Lucy!" Dot yelled from the bedroom she shared with Bucky, "Can you come in here and help me for a second?" Lucy rolled her eyes. Of course, Dot needed help with her hair.

"Coming," she said. Lucy carefully set her cup down and headed for Dot and Bucky's room. Steve returned the compress to his nose wincing slightly.

Lucy found Dot attempting to pin her hair into simple victory rolls. "Can you pin these?" Dot asked, holding out a handful of pins. Lucy took the pins and moved closer to Dot. Dot manipulated her hair into the first roll. Lucy deftly placed the pins into Dot's hair. The first roll held perfectly. They did the same dance on the other side. Dot took the last few pins from Lucy and switched them for a can of hairspray, liberally dousing her hair in it.

Dot looked amazing in a red dress with a small flower print and her sensible brown dancing shoes. She hadn't bothered with hose either.

"Bucky is going to have a heart attack," Lucy said.

"That's the idea," Dot said, a confident smirk on her face.

The pair exited the bedroom, causing the boys to look up. Bucky visibly gulped, his eyes roaming Dot's body. Dot walked over to him. "Like what you see soldier?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm going to be fighting other men off with a stick tonight," he said, smirk.

"Shall we head out," Lucy asked. Bucky and Steve stood up straightening their clothes. Steve dropped the compress on the coffee table. Lucy and Dot paused to gulp down their still hot coffee.

"Let's," he said, offering his arm to Lucy. The two couples exited the apartment and headed for the subway and Queens.

The World Expo was lit up and fireworks were going off as the couples arrived. Bucky and Steve were talking about the war and Steve's attempts to enlist. Lucy and Dot stayed quiet and focused on taking in the sights and sounds around them.

"I don't see what the problem is," Bucky said as they walked down the central globe's steps towards the Modern Marvels pavilion.

"I know Buck. I just can't give up" Steve said. Lucy's grip tightened on Steve's hand as they walked.

As they entered the Modern Marvels pavilion a voice bombed from the sound system above, "Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world, a better world"

Lucy stared at displays bathed in blue light. Steve seemed to be distracted, munching a bag of peanuts he'd purchased from a cart just outside the pavilion.

"It's starting," Dot said, pulling Bucky toward the stage. Lucy grabbed Steve's free hand and pulled him forward.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark," a female announcer said.

Howard Stark himself appeared on stage. As he took the microphone from the announcer, he planted a large kiss on her.

An audience member near Lucy yelled out "I love you, Howard."

Stark seemed to ignore the women and launched into a speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all."

The women on stage with Stark removed the wheels from the car to reveal what looks like coils. Steve offered Lucy the bag of peanuts, from which she grabbed several, popping them in her mouth.

"Yes, thanks, Mandy," Stark picked up, "With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that." He hit a button on stage and the wheel began to hum and raise the car from the stage floor.

"Holy cow," Bucky said. The wheels started to shudder and die causing the car to fall back to the stage.

"I did say a few years didn't I," Stark said laughing the failure off.

Steve turned away from the stage wandering out of the pavilion. Lucy followed him, Bucky and Dot close to their heels.

"Hey, Steve, what do you say we treat our faithful dames to…." Bucky trained off as they neared the recruitment center.

Steve headed into the center. He stood quietly as he watched another couple. The man stood on a small platform that lit up to reflect his face in an army uniform. "Come on soldier," the woman said, pulling the man out of the pavilion. Steve stepped on a platform that lit up to show the top of his head at the bottom of the cut-out face. Lucy stood back, her heart twisting for Steve.

"Come on. You're missing the point of a double date to celebrate my last night stateside. We're taking the girls dancing remember," Bucky said.

"You go ahead, we'll catch up with you," Steve said looking over at Lucy, who remained near the entrance to the mirror area. She nodded in agreement.

"Are you really going to do this again," Bucky asked, exasperated with his friend.

"Well, it's a fair. I'm going to try my luck," Steve said.

"As who? Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you," Bucky said, exasperated with his best friend.

"Look, I know you don't think I can do this," Steve said quietly.

"This isn't a back alley, Steve. It's war!" Bucky continued.

"I know it's a war. You don't have to tell me," Steve shot back. Dot started trying to pull Bucky away.

"Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs," Bucky yelled.

"What am I going to do? Collect scrap metal," Steve yelled back. Lucy stepped to his side putting a hand on his shoulder, but he shook her off.

"Yes, "Bucky yelled.

"In my little red wagon," Steve continued.

"Why not," Bucky asked.

"I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Buck," Steve said. His eye pleaded with Bucky to let him try one more time.

"I don't," Bucky stated.

"Bucky, come on. There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me," Steve said.

"Right, because you have nothing to prove," Bucky seethed. Steve recoiled at his words.

Dot took the opportunity to pull Bucky away from Steve. "Come on Bucky, let's go dancing. Steve and Lu can catch up," she said.

Bucky turned to her and smiled, "Yes, we are." He held out his arm for Dot to take. She took it quickly, almost pulling Bucky away.

"Don't do anything stupid until I get back, "Bucky called.

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you," Steve asked, a small amount of playfulness returning to his voice.

"You're a punk," Bucky said, turning back to Steve. He engulfed Steve in a bone-crushing hug.

"Jerk, be careful," Steve said in his ear. Bucky ended the hug and turned back to Dot, who was waiting at the end of the steps.

"Don't win the war till I get there," Steve called. Bucky turned around and saluted Steve.

"Come on Dot, They're playing our song," Bucky said, taking her arm and disappearing around the corner.

Steve turned around to face Lucy. "Are you ok with this," Steve asked.

"I am. It's part of my job as your wife. To be supportive of your endeavors. Just don't get caught," she said. She pulled him into an embrace and gave him a light kiss.

"Go get 'em, tiger," she said. Steve disappeared around the corner into the enlistment rooms. Lucy took a seat on a bench to wait for Steve. As she surveyed the crowd, Lucy swore she caught a glimpse of a familiar doctor disappearing around the same corner as Steve.

The enlistment rooms were fairly empty, and Steve was quickly ushered back to an examination room. A doctor walked in and prepared to start the examination. Before he could start, a nurse entered the room to whisper something to the doctor.

"Wait here," the doctor said.

"Is there a problem," Steve asked.

"Just wait here," the doctor said leaving the room. Steve looked around the room, his nerves on edge. He looked around the room, seeing the site about lying on his enlistment form and thought of Bucky. He needed to get out of there quickly. Steve reached for his shoes to start getting dressed.

As he put his shoes one, an MP entered the room. Steve started to worry he'd been caught.

An old man in a white coat entered the room signaling the MP to leave.

"So you want to go overseas. Kill some Nazi," the old man asked.

"Excuse me," Steve asked.

"Dr. Erskine," the man said, "I represent the Strategic Scientific Reserve."

"Steve Rogers," Steve replies.

Dr. Erskine began to flip through the file he brought in.

"Where are you from," Steve asked.

"Queens," Dr. Erskine replied, "73rd Street and Utopia Parkway. Before that, Germany. This troubles you?"

"No," Steve said, shaking his head.

"Where are you from, Mr. Rogers? Mmm? Is it New Haven? Or Paramus? Five Exams in five different cities," Dr. Erskine asked as he completed his flip through.

"That might not be the right file," Steve stammered.

"No, it's not the exams I'm interested in. It's the five tries," Dr. Erskine said, holding up five fingers, "But you didn't answer my question. Do you want to kill Nazis?"

"Is this a test," Steve asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Yes," Dr. Erskine said plainly.

"I don't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from," Steve said with the utmost sincerity.

"Well, there are already so many big men fighting this war. Maybe what we need now is the little guy, huh? I can offer you a chance," Dr. Erskine said standing up to leave the small room. Steve followed the doctor out of the room.

"But only a chance," Dr. Erskine added.

"I'll take it, "Steve said in disbelief.

"Good. So where is the little guy from, actually," Dr. Erskine asked? He busied himself with a slip of paper and finding the stamp he wanted.

"Brooklyn," Steve said. Dr. Erskine stamped the form and handed it to Steve.

"Congratulations Soldier," he said. Steve opened the paper to see the 1A stamp for himself.

"I look forward to seeing you at Camp Leigh on Monday," Dr. Erskine said leaving the recruitment center.

"Yes sir," Steve called after him.

Steve walked around the corner to find Lucy. She was sitting on the bench picking at a loose thread on her dress.

He walked right up to her and kissed her firmly. Lucy was startled by the unexpected display of affection. Steve was not normally a public display kind of guy. He preferred to save it for the privacy of their room.

"Woah boy," Lucy said, putting a hand on Steve's chest to push him away. She looked in his eyes, the joy evident.

"You got in," she asked, her own excitement building for him.

"I got in," Steve said, "I report to Camp Leigh in New Jersey Monday."

Lucy's smile faded slightly. She only had a few days left with her husband before he followed his dreams of going off to war.

"Let's go home, Steve. I want to celebrate in private," Lucy said. Her eyes darkened to near black. Steve's eyes darkened to a deep blue.

"What about Bucky and Dot," he asked huskily.

"They'll manage just fine without us, "Lucy said grabbing Steve's hand and dragging him towards the subway.

** Warning Mature Content Ahead** _feel free to skip to the next chapter if you're not into it. _

Steve and Lucy reached the door of their apartment hand in hand. They'd said barely a word on the subway ride back to Brooklyn and the walk to the apartment. Steve fumbled with the lock as Lucy pushed herself into his back. As the door swung open, the pair stumbled through. Lucy peeled away from Steve long enough to close the door and lock it behind her.

Without warning, Lucy grabbed Steve's face, yanking the small man to her and crushing her lips to his. Steve stumbled into her, his hands scrabbling for purchase. They found places in the small of her back and her hair. The kiss was hard and intense as the pair battled for dominance. Lucy bit Steve's lip causing him to moan and grip her hair harder. His fingers pulled at her hair, deftly removing the pins. The small bits of metal clinking as they hit the floor. They worked until her hair tumbled down around them. He smirked into the kiss, running his fingers through her hair in an effort to find every last pin. Steve began to walk backward, counting the steps in his head. Anytime, Lucy pushed too hard, he would pull her hair and by extension her head back.

While he did this, Lucy's hands were pulling at his clothes. His jacket had come off easily, but she was fighting with his tie and shirt. For a moment, Lucy gave up on his clothes and kicked off her shoes.

As if perfectly timed, Steve stepped back into the door of their room. Lucy broke away from the kiss, breathing hard, her lips noticeably swollen. Steve's eye's glinted with mischief as he reached for his tie. He loosened it enough to slip the fabric over his head and dropped it neatly on the doorknob. Lucy snickered at the sight, pulling back to find the zipper of her dress.

Steve turned the knob on the door and walked back through it. "Come on doll," he said, the pitch of his voice lowering to a gravelly whisper, "there's a comfortable bed waiting for us." Lucy felt herself go weak in the knees. She stumbled forward into the room and Steve closed the door firmly behind them. Just in case, he put the room's small chair under the knob to prevent intruders.

Lucy finally managed to fully unzip her dress. She slipped her arms from the garment, allowing the blue fabric pool around her feet. Steve gaped. He knew his wife was beautiful, but this. He could feel the erratic beat of his heart and his steps forward intent on claiming her lips again. He planned to worship his goddess tonight.

Lucy put a hand on his chest stopping his advance. "I need to get this off, first sweetheart. I can't do it laying down," Lucy said softly. Her hands reaching down to the laces on her corselette. Steve sank to her knees in front of her, his hands mimicking hers on the other side. He peppered her covered hips, thighs, and stomach with kisses as he worked the lace. Once the laces were suitably untied, Lucy pulled Steve to his feet and showed him how to pull the undergarment off. With a quick kiss, Steve's hands moved to the top of the corselette. His mouth followed his hands, kissing a path down her body as each inch of skin was revealed. He kissed the top of each breast, then her sternum. Pulling the fabric down, Steve revealed the fullness of her breasts. He kissed the tender flesh of each breast, paying special attention to her nipples.

"Dear God," Lucy moaned. Steve sucked one nipple then the other into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the sensitive bundles of nerves. Lucy shuddered. A rush of warmth flooded her panties. Steve continued his assault on her breasts pushing the offending undergarment further down.

"Where did you learn...," Lucy gasped. Steve stopped his assault on her long enough to look up and smirk.

"Bucky may have explained a thing or two," he said returning to kissing his way down her ribs and stomach. She reached for him, tangling her hands in his hair.

"Careful doll," Steve growled. He pulled the corselette down the last few inches. The stiff fabric dropping to the floor. Lucy shivered as she realized she was standing before Steve in just her simple panties. Steve kept kissing down until he reached the apex of her thighs. He placed a kiss just above it before standing up to face Lucy. He kissed her again, this time pulling her down to him. Lucy returned the kiss, pressing herself into the man in front of her. He pulled away, a grin on his face.

"Your turn," he said huskily. Lucy stared into his eyes. Steve's pupils were blown so wide almost no blue remained. Lucy growled, kissing Steve's neck as she attacked his shirt. She nipped at a spot where Steve's neck met his jaw. Shivers shot down Steve's spine.

"Doll," he groaned. The utterance soaked Lucy even more. He'd never called her that before, and now it seemed to be the only name for her. She focused her attention on that spot as she worked the bottom buttons open, revealing in the feeling of Steve's maleness stiffening between them.

Lucy popped the last button off in her haste, pushing the fabric off his shoulders. She continued to kiss down his chest and abdomen just as he had, make a pit stop at his nipples to return the favor.

"Oh Christ," Steve hissed. Lucy giggled looking up at Steve through her eyelashes as she explored. Steve felt like he was going to explode and they hadn't even made it to bed yet.

When she reached his belt, she looked up at him again, as if asking for permission. Steve bit his lip and nodded. Lucy made quick work of the belt and started on the pants. The undoing of each button was utterly agonizing for Steve. All he wanted was to be free of his trousers and have his way with Lucy.

She slid his trousers down his legs, leaving him in just his boxes.

"I take it someone is happy to see me," Lucy teased, wrapping her hand around the hardened shaft in Steve's boxers. He groaned, his knees buckling. Lucy was off her knees in a flash, pushing Steve down onto the bed. She straddled him, knees on either side of his hips, and leaned down to capture his lips again. Steve strained to meet her lips. Lucy leaned down further, her breasts resting on his chest.

This kiss was more intense than the last few. Steve's hands found their way into Lucy's hair again, pulling her this way and that to control the kiss. As the kiss continued, the strength of his tugging increased.

"God," Lucy moaned into his mouth. Steve smirked again, taking advantage of her open mouth to slip his tongue in and truly taste her. Their tongues battled between their mouths, neither one gaining much ground. As they battled for dominance, Lucy ground her pelvis into Steve, eliciting the most wonderful moans and curses that she swallowed greedily. She would do whatever she needed to make sure she heard those sounds for the rest of her life.

Without warning, Steve sat up, pushing Lucy back. She fell back into the bed, her head hanging off the edge. Steve pulled off his boxers and Lucy's panties. He bent over to kiss her again. Lucy craned up to meet him, her hands tangling into his hair. As they kissed, Lucy's hips moved underneath him. Her wetness dragged along his length. Lucy swallowed the moan that came from Steve's throat. As she continued to writhe underneath him, Steve's length finally found its purchase. Lucy stilled as Steve pushed forward into her, stretching her.

"Oh Steve," Lucy moaned, her head dropping back to hang off the bed.

"Yes Doll," Steve asked.

"Faster," she breathed. Happy to oblige, Steve began to move as fast as he dared. With each thrust, he paused completely buried in her reveling in the feeling of her slick walls squeezing him. Lucy shifted her hips slightly beneath him, changing the angle of his thrust. As he buried himself again, he hit something causing her to scream. Steve paused his movements fearing he'd hurt her.

"I swear to god, Steve. Keep hitting that spot," Lucy said, lifting her head just enough to look into Steve's eyes. He pulled back slowly, staring into her eyes as he did so until just the tip of his shaft was inside her. With all the strength he had, he drove back into her aiming for the same spot. Again, Lucy screamed. It was all the encouragement he needed. Steve did his best to keep up the speed and power of the thrusts. Lucy continued to scream as each thrust hit the same spot. Too soon, Steve began to have difficulty breathing. His thrusts slowed and became shallow.

Lifting her head, Lucy realized Steve was on the verge of an asthma attack. She pushed him back to lay on the pillows and sat up into his lap. Carefully, Lucy began to move. She experimented, first grinding, then raising herself, and finally rocking. As she rocked back and both, Steve began to curse and moan again. Taking it as an invitation, Lucy made her movements first bigger than faster. The feeling on him stretching her with each motion was intoxicating.

As she moved, Lucy began to feel a pleasurable pressure build in her stomach. She was so close, and she wanted him to fall over the edge with her. She moved even faster, resting her hands on either side of Steve's head to balance.

"Steve," she moaned.

"Doll," he answered.

"Look at me," she commanded. Steve fought to open his eyes. What greeted him was beyond his wildest imagination. There was his wife, naked as the day she was born, finding pleasure with him. It was the tipping point that sent him over the edge with a shout. His load shot into Lucy. She moaned as the hot cum coated her insides, triggering her own release. She continued to move as aftershocks flowed through her. Steve whimpering as she did so. Thoroughly spent, Lucy slumped over Steve using her forearms to keep from crushing him completely.

They stayed there for what felt like an eternity just, breathing hard looking into one another's eyes. It was as if a word would break a spell. Finally, Lucy moved off Steve to lay beside him in bed. The bed under Steve's ass and thighs had a noticeable damp spot where Lucy had been.

"That was," Lucy breathed.

"Amazing, "Steve finished, rolling on his side to face Lucy. She nodded, yawning as she did.

Steve wrapped his arms around Lucy, pulling her to him as they drifted off into the best sleep they'd had in years.


End file.
